Men's Basketball Outlasted by Yellowjackets 74-67

Mar. 1 – (PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – Behind a big day from senior power forward Uche Ndubizu the visiting #15 University of Rochester Yellowjackets men’s basketball team held off the Carnegie Mellon University Tartans by the score of 74-67 on Saturday afternoon in Skibo Gymnasium in the final regular season game for both teams. The score was tied at 65 with 3:31 remaining after senior Greg Gonzalez (Southlake, Texas/Carroll) drained a huge three pointer. The Tartans got some good looks down the stretch but were unable to connect and Rochester scored nine straight to put the game out of reach.

Rochester’s Ndubizu and senior forward Jon Onyiriuka got involved right away, getting Gonzalez and junior forward Terrance Bouldin-Johnson (Tukwila, Wash./O’Dea) into foul trouble early. Onyiriuka picked up his second foul early also, but Ndubizu was clicking, raking in 16 first half points. Both teams pushed the tempo and the game stayed close throughout the first half. Rochester registered an 8-0 run to take a 39-32 lead with six straight put in by Ndubizu. Junior forward Ryan Einwag (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) hit a three to send the Tartans into the half down by four at 39-35.

Early in the second half Einwag swished a trey off a pass from senior guard Geoff Kozak (Huntingdon, Pa.) to deadlock the game at 43. Rochester retook the lead every time the Tartans evened the score as there were five ties in the second half yet the Tartans never took the lead in the final twenty minutes. Onyiriuka threw down a thunderous dunk to give the Yellowjackets a 67-65 edge, Kozak missed a three point attempt that would have given the Tartans the lead and Ndubizu laid the ball in at the other end of the floor to add to Rochester’s advantage.

Einwag led the Tartans with 21 points and six rebounds. Gonzalez contributed 11 points and junior guard Corey O’Rourke (Merion, Pa./St. Joe Prep) added 11 points, with many of his baskets coming off dribble penetration into the lane. O’Rourke led the Tartans with six assists on the day. Ndubizu had a monster day for Rochester, pouring in 24 points on 8-of-12 shooting to go with his game-high 11 rebounds and team-high five assists. Three other Yellowjackets scored in double-figures as Onyiriuka tallied 12 points in only 15 minutes of action, and senior guard Robert Dominiak and senior forward Dan Milbrand chipped in with 10 points apiece.

Rochester dominated the boards 41-27 but committed 19 turnovers versus Carnegie Mellon’s eight. Carnegie Mellon struggled at the free throw line, shooting 6-of-13.

The Tartans finish the regular season with a record of 16-9 overall and 6-8 in the University Athletic Association (UAA). Rochester improves to 20-5 overall and 9-5 in the UAA. Both teams will find out on Monday their postseason fates.