Tartans Four-Game Win Streak Snapped by Lycoming

Jan. 15 - (WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.) – In a game that saw 12 ties and 14 lead changes, an attempt at the buzzer for Carnegie Mellon was lost as the Tartans fell to Lycoming College 66-65 on the road Monday night. The loss snaps the Tartans four-game win streak and drops their overall record to 9-4, while Lycoming betters their year at 8-7.

Down by one with 5.6 seconds to play, Carnegie Mellon forced a turnover and called timeout. Unfortunately, the Tartans Geoff Kozak (Huntingdon, Pa.) wasn't able to get a shot off as the Warriors hounded him right away.

Carnegie Mellon opened the game with a 9-2 run but Lycoming answered with their own 9-2 run after a timeout to tie the game at 11-11, seven minutes in. Over the final 13 minutes of the first half, Carnegie Mellon would take two, five-point leads only to see Lycoming tie the game or take their own lead. The Tartans however held a 34-32 halftime lead thanks to a lay-up by sophomore guard Ryan Einwag (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) and a three-pointer from the corner by freshman guard Jack Anderson (Beaver Falls, Pa.), both coming with under a minute left.

Lycoming opened the second half with an 11-1 run but the Tartans quickly called a timeout. Out of the break, Einwag caught fire making three straight baskets to fuel a 9-0 comeback to take a 44-43 lead with just under 13 minutes to go.

Baskets would be traded for the remainder of the half with neither team leading by more than five points. Twice sophomore forward Jon Wolleben (Plattsburgh, N.Y.) gave the Tartans a five-point lead with a jumper on one possession and two free throws on the following trip down floor.

Lycoming made 9-of-10 free throws over the last seven minutes to tie the game and take a lead, but a driving lay-up by sophomore guard Corey O’Rourke (Merion, Pa./St. Joe Prep) tied the game at 62-62 with 1:32 to go. Four of the nine free throws by the Warriors would give the home team a four-point lead before Anderson double-clutched a trey that sank with 5.6 seconds to go, leading to the turnover and last second attempt by the Tartans.

Einwag led the Tartans with 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting and six rebounds. Wolleben contributed 11 points and eight rebounds to the Tartans cause.

Leading Lycoming was sophomore Greg Sye with 24 points and eight boards. The Warriors also won the battle on the boards with 39 to the Tartans 33.

The Tartans return to association play with a road trip to University of Chicago on Friday, January 19 and then to Washington University of St. Louis on Sunday, January 21.