Men’s Basketball Upsets #12 Capital 71-65 in Columbus, Ohio

Dec. 31 – (COLUMBUS, Ohio) – The Carnegie Mellon University men’s basketball team traveled to Columbus, Ohio to play the #12 Crusaders of Capital University. The Tartans had four players in double figures to lift them to the 71-65 upset victory over the Crusaders. With the victory the Tartans move to 6-2, as the Crusaders drop their second contest of the year moving to 8-2.

Carnegie Mellon took a 38-32 lead into the locker room after shooting 54.8% from the floor over the first twenty minutes of play. Senior Geoff Kozak’s (Huntingdon, Pa./Huntingdon) three-point bucket with 10:47 showing on the clock in the first stanza gave Carnegie Mellon a 17-15 lead, one they held until the 15:50 mark of the second half. Capitals Ryan Wood gave the Crusades a two-point lead (44-42) in the midst of the home teams 20-5 run to open the second frame.

Capital seized a 52-43 lead, their biggest of the game, with 12:15 left in regulation. Just when the Tartans seemed to be fading the Cardinal and Gray scored 15 unanswered points over the next eight minutes giving them the lead they never lost on their way to upsetting the twelfth ranked Crusades 71-65.

The Tartans out shot the Crusades 41.9% to 37.9% and controlled the glass as well hauling in 46 rebounds to the Crusaders 34. Carnegie Mellon turned 10 Capital turnovers into 17 points, as Capital managed only 12 points off 13 Tartan mishaps.

Sophomore Jack Anderson (Beaver Falls, Pa.) and junior Terrance Bouldin-Johnson (Tukwila, Wash./O’Dea) each tallied career-highs for the Tartans with 15 and 12 points, respectively. Junior Ryan Einwag (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) had a team-high 16 points, while Kozak finished with 11 shooting a perfect 6-of-6 from the charity stripe including two foul shots with nine ticks left on the clock to seal the win. Senior Greg Gonzalez (Southlake, Texas/Carroll) finished two points shy of his third double-double of the season ending with eight points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Gonzalez also added three blocks giving him 103 for his career.

Three Crusaders ended the game in double figures led by senior Steve Kyser with 19 points, while juniors Nate Stahl and Ryan had 11 and 10, respectively.

The Tartans will take their three game winning streak back on the court Thursday, January 3 as they travel to La Roche College. Tip is set for 7:30 p.m.