Tartans Lead Wire-to-Wire in 87-69 UAA Opener Win Over Case Western Reserve

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University men's basketball team opened its University Athletic Association (UAA) slate on Saturday afternoon as they entertained Case Western Reserve University. The Tartans led wire-to-wire as they won an 87-69 contest to move to 9-3, 1-0 while the Spartans are now 8-4, 0-1.

Game Information
Carnegie Mellon 87, Case Western Reserve 69
Records: Carnegie Mellon (9-3, 1-0), Case Western Reserve (8-4, 0-1)
Location: Pittsburgh, Pa. (Highmark Center)

How it Happened

• Graduate student Nikola Dimitrijevic scored the first points for the Tartans with a layup 15 seconds into the first half.
• The Tartans then scored seven more uncontested points before the Spartans got their first points four minutes into play with on a layup by Alex Vincent.
• Junior Isaac Higgs made a three-point jump shot at the 14:25 mark which gave the Tartans a 15-2 lead, as the Spartans started the contest 1-of-11 from the floor.
• With 4:35 to play in the first half, Case Western Reserve cut the deficit to six points at 30-24.
• Over the final 2:41 of the half, Carnegie Mellon used a 10-1, as Dimitrijevic powered slammed the ball with one second on the clock to give the Tartans a 48-32 at the break.
• The Tartans expanded their lead to 67-45 following a driving layup by graduate student Sam Adusei with 12:17 to play.
• The Spartans didn't go away, as they used an 11-1 run over the next eight minutes and pulled the score to 68-56.
• Carnegie Mellon never let the lead slip below double digits the rest of the way and went on for the 87-69 victory.

Tartan Stats

• The Tartans shot 50.9% (29-57) from the field, 52.6% (10-19) from behind the arc and 61.3% (19-31) from the free-throw line.
• Senior Buckley DeJardin led the Tartans with 21 points, followed by Adusei with 20. Dimitrijevic and Higgs each finished with 11 points.
• Graduate student Nolan Casey grabbed a team-high nine rebounds while Higgs recorded a career-high eight rebounds.
• Dimitrijevic tied a career-high with four blocks, he also dished out four assists and grabbed eight rebounds.
• Adusei finished with four steals and five assists.

Spartan Stats

• Case Western Reserve shot 32.9% (25-76) from the field, 21.9% (7-32) from behind the arc and 66.7% (12-18) from the free throw line.
• Matthew Ellis led Case Western Reserve with 21 points.
• Ethan Edwatds scored 14 points while Andrew Fox finished with 11.

Game Notes

• The Tartans are now 7-0 this season when shooting 50.0% from the floor.
• The Tartans are now 6-1 this season when holding their opponents to 72 points or less.

Up Next

• Carnegie Mellon will be back on the hardwood on Friday, January 16 at home with a 5:30 p.m. tip against eighth-ranked Washington University in St. Louis.