EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL NAMES WILL
ROBERSON ASSISTANT COACH
(July 1, 2008) - Emory University head men's basketball coach Jason
Zimmerman has announced the appointment of Will Roberson as
assistant coach. Roberson takes over for Matt McKillop who recently
accepted an assistant coaching position at Davidson College
Roberson's most recent coaching stint took place during the 2006-07
campaign when he served as a graduate assistant at Clemson
University. During his one year with the Tigers, the program
finished with an overall record of 25-11, tying the school record
for most wins in a season, and advanced to the championship game of
the National Invitation Tournament for the second time in school
history. Clemson opened the '06-07 campaign with a 17-0
won-lost slate and was the last Division I team to lose a game that
year.
Prior to his stint at Clemson, Roberson was the head coach at
Frederica Academy in St. Simons, GA, where he directed the team to
a third-place finish in the GISA Region 2-AA.
Roberson was the director of basketball operations at Davidson
College for three seasons (2002-03 through 2004-05) where he had a
hand in many facets of the program including scouting opponents,
handling travel arrangements and film exchange and serving as
team's academic advisor. Among his other responsibilities
were co-directing Head Coach Bob McKillop's basketball camps in the
summers. While Roberson was at Davidson in that capacity, the
Wildcats compiled an overall record of 57-31 that included three
straight Southern Conference regular-season titles.
"Will's experience in teaching and coaching student athletes at a
variety of levels will be a great addition to our program,
Zimmerman said. "His commitment to academic and athletic excellence
is a great fit for Emory University and Emory basketball."
Roberson earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Davidson in May, 2002. He is married to the former Erica Madden.
The 2007-08 season marked the initial campaign of the Jason
Zimmerman era as head coach of the Emory basketball program and the
Eagles turned in a season that, while under .500, laid the
foundation for a bright and successful future.
With just one starter returning from the '06-07 team and a host of
new faces to call upon, Emory ended the year with a deceptive
won-lost record of 10-15, 3-11 in the University Athletic
Association, a conference that sent four teams to NCAA Tournament
play and that had four teams ranked among the nation's top
25. Despite battling more experienced and often taller
opponents, Emory displayed a tenacious style of basketball that saw
it stay within striking distance in numerous outings. Of the 11
setbacks in league games, five were by seven or fewer points with
two of those affairs going into overtime.
For the record, Emory's strength of schedule was ranked as the
third-most difficult in the nation according to D3hoops.com and
second toughest in the Massey Ratings.
Other notable tidbits from the 2007-08 season included:
** Defeating No. 1-ranked Rochester, 81-76 in overtime, before a
raucous home crowd on Jan. 25, 2008. It marked the program's
first-ever triumph over the nation's top-ranked team.
** Playing a total of 11 games against six teams that advanced to
the NCAA Tournament. In addition to the eight contests against the
four UAA schools that earned berths to the postseason, the Eagles
split a pair of games against Maryville College (just one three
losses suffered by the Scots all year) and battled No. 12-ranked
Guilford and its 7-foot All-American Ben Strong.
** Closed out the 2007 portion of the schedule with a six-game win
streak, Emory's longest since the 2002-03 season.
** Led the UAA and finished 46th nationally in scoring offense with
a 79.0 points per- game average. The Eagles also paced the
conference in scoring in league affairs with a 76.6 per-game
effort. Zimmerman's up-tempo and aggressive style on the
offensive end of the floor resulted in Emory recording three of the
UAA's top five single-game point totals in '07-08; 106 vs.
Oglethorpe (Dec. 15), 100 vs. Maryville (Dec. 8) and 99 vs. Case
Western (Jan. 12).
** Topped the UAA and finished 55th on the national scene with a
73.1 percent mark from the free throw line. In conference
play, the Eagles knocked down a league-leading 73.5 percent from
the charity stripe.
** Finished second on the school's seasonal list with 400 free
throws, just six shy of the top mark of 406 set during the 1992-93
season.
** Averaged 15.2 assists per game, the highest total since 2001-02
and good for third place on the school's seasonal chart.
Senior Spiros Ferderigos capped off one of the
great careers in Emory history in grand style, pacing the team in
scoring for the second straight season with an 18.1 per-game
average, good for the No. 2 spot on the UAA list. The
6-foot-1 Ferderigos, garnered a first-team berth on the All-UAA
Team and became the first Emory cager to be recognized by the NABC
since Tim Garrett (1990) when he was chosen as a Second-Team
All-South District Team member. Ferderigos, the conference's
second-leading point producer in league contests (18.0 ppg), scored
in double figures in 22 games and posted nine efforts of 20 or more
points. Ferderigos led or shared for the team's scoring lead
on 16 occasions including a season-high 32 points against
Oglethorpe that ranked as the squad's highest individual point
total of the year. He furthered enhanced his reputation as
one of the best all-around players in the UAA by ranking
prominently in numerous statistical categories including rebounding
(8th, 6.2 rpg), free throw percentage (6th, .789), steals (2nd,
2.04 spg) and offensive rebounds (4th, 2.52 orpg). He
established school seasonal records in both free throws (146) and
free throw attempts (183) and chalked up five performances of 10 or
more makes from the charity stripe. His 453 total points in
'07-08 ranked him fifth on the Eagles' list while his scoring
average of 18.1 per game was good for seventh position.
Career-wise, Spiros firmly entrenched himself on a bevy of all-time
lists at Emory including scoring (2nd, 1630 pts.), scoring average
(3rd, 16.6 ppg), field goals (5th, 489), field goal attempts (4th,
1085), field goal percentage (16th, .451), three-point field
goals (5th, 157), three-point percentage (10th, .365), free throws
(1st, 495), free throw attempts (1st, 600), free throw percentage
(.6th, .825), rebounds (4th, 560 rebs.), rebound average (10th, 5.7
rpg), assists (5th, 288), steals (1st, 201) and steals per game
(3rd, 2.1 spg).
After being sidelined with a season-ending injury just nine games
into the 2006-07 campaign, Anthony Fernandez
bounced back with a memorable campaign that saw him emerge as a
consistent scoring threat and hard-nosed rebounder. More
often than not, the 6-foot-3 Fernandez battled taller and more
experienced players but still managed to haul down a team-leading
6.6 rebounds per outing, good for sixth place among UAA
players. Fernandez, an honorable-mention pick to the All-UAA
Team, led or shared for the club's lead in boards in 11 games and
chalked up six double-figure efforts in that category.
Fernandez's offensive game blossomed and saw him average 14.1
points per game, second on the Emory scoresheet and ninth on the
UAA chart. A starter in 23 of the 24 games he saw action in,
he scored in double figures in 19 contests and closed out the year
by scoring 10 or more points in his last 12 outings including four
performances of 20 or more points. His scoring pace picked up
during the conference portion of the schedule with his 16.0
per-game showing placing him fifth on the league's ladder.
Junior John Kresse gave the Eagles a big boost
with steady play from his point guard post. The 6-foot-3
Kresse played in all 25 games, 24 in a starting capacity, and doled
out a team-high 4.40 assists per game, good for second place among
UAA players. Kresse was the team's top assists man in 16
games and his season total of 110 tied him for fifth place on the
school's seasonal list. Playing with an increasing amount of
savvy every time he took to the court, his 2.16 assist/turnover
ratio placed him third in the UAA. While running the Emory
offense with deft precision, he also tossed in 7.1 points while
logging 27.6 minutes per game.
Freshman Julien Williams provided Emory fans
an optimistic glimpse of the future after drawing starting
assignments in 22 of 23 games and averaging 7.7 points and 5.0
rebounds with his board total placing him third on the team and
14th in the UAA. The explosive 6-foot-2 Williams came through
with eight double-figure scoring performances including a
season-high 18-point effort against Maryville College on Dec.
8. The first-year cager also played a big role in the win
over No. 1-ranked Rochester with his lone double-double of the
season, a 17-point, 12-rebound evening in the 81-76 overtime
triumph.
After seeing sporadic action as a freshman, sophomore sharpshooter
Daniel Curtin made the most of his playing time as
a key reserve. Coming off the bench in every Emory game, the
6-foot Curtin wound up third on the team in scoring with an 8.9
points per game average. His long-range shooting kept
opponents off balance and he ended the year shooting a team-best
39.1 percent (45-of-115) from three-point range, good for 11th
place among UAA players. He converted two or more treys in 11
contests including a career-high seven against New York University
(Feb. 1), tying for second most in Emory history. Curtin notched
double-figure point production in nine games including a pair of
20-plus point efforts. His 45 three pointers ranked among the
top 20 seasonal marks at Emory and his 1.8 treys per game slotted
him 10th in the league in '07-08.
Junior Brian Giometti, a transfer from the
University of Denver, was another of the reserves who made an
impact, averaging 20.6 minutes per stint while playing in all 25
contests. The 6-foot-1 Giometti gave the Eagles an athletic
performer who ranked fourth on the team's scoring list with an 8.2
points per-game average. He finished with 11 double-figure
scoring performances (seven in UAA games) including a season-high
16 points against Case Western on Jan. 12. Giometti displayed
to hit the three-ball as well, knocking down 36.9 percent
(38-of-103) from distance and registering 13 outings of two or more
three-pointers.
Joining Ferderigos as other members of the Emory senior class were
Seth Kramer (Winter Park, FL), Austin
DeAngelis (St. Augustine, FL), Claude Pardue,
Jr. (Myrtle Beach, SC) and Dan Smith
(Weston, FL). Smith paced the team and finished third in the
UAA with a keen mark of 85.9 percent (55-of-64) from the free throw
line. The 5-foot-10 Smith finished his two-year career as the
school's career leader with an 88.3 percent showing from the
charity stripe (83-of-94).
All-District (South)
Spiros
Ferderigos
Second
Team
Oldsmar, FL
All-University Athletic Association
Spiros
Ferderigos
First
Team
Oldsmar, FL
Anthony
Fernandez
Honorable Mention Miami, FL
UAA Player of the Week
Anthony
Fernandez
(Jan. 28,
2008)
Miami, FL
Spiros
Ferderigos
(Dec. 17,
2007)
Oldsmar, FL
D3hoops.com Team of the Week
Spiros
Ferderigos
(Dec. 10-16, 2007) Oldsmar, FL
Anthony
Fernandez
(Jan. 21-27, 2008) Miami,
FL
CoSIDA Academic All-District
John Kresse
Second
Team
Charleston, SC
SPIROS FERDERIGOS EARNS NABC DISTRICT HONORS
(Mar. 24) - Emory University senior Spiros
Ferderigos (Oldsmar, FL) has been recognized by National
Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) for his outstanding
2007-08 season by earning a berth on the organization's
All-District team.
The 6-foot-1 Ferderigos was selected as a second-team member to the
All-South District Team, becoming the first Emory player to be
recognized by the NABC since 1990 when Tim Garrett was selected to
the first team.
Ferderigos, a First Team All-University Athletic Association
honoree, enjoyed an excellent all-around season, with his team-high
18.1 points per game average good for the No. 2 spot among UAA
players. Ferderigos, who finished his career as the school's
No. 2 all-time leading scorer with 1,630 points, registered
double-digit scoring in 22 of 25 outings and produced nine contests
of 20 or more points. One of the league's most versatile
cagers, he ranked prominently in a number of statistical categories
during the regular season including rebounding (8th, 6.2 rpg), free
throw percentage (t-6th, .798), field goal percentage (10th,
.489), steals (2nd, 2.04 spg) and minutes (10th, 30.12 mpg).
He led or shared for the team's scoring lead on 16 occasions and
was the squad's top rebounder in seven contests. He registered five
double-doubles and led all UAA players with a school-record 146
free throws.
His 453 total points represented the fifth-highest mark in school
history while his 51 steals tied for seventh.
EMORY MEN'S
BASKETBALL PLACE TWO ON ALL-UAA TEAM
Two members of the 2007-08 Emory University men's basketball squad
have been selected to the All-University Athletic Association
Team. The all-league honorees were chosen by the conference
coaches.
Senior Spiros Ferderigos (Oldsmar, FL) headlines
the duo with a first-team selection while sophomore Anthony
Fernandez (Miami, FL) gained an honorable-mention
berth.
The 6-foot-1 Ferderigos enjoyed an excellent all-around season,
with his team-high 18.1 points per game average good for the No. 2
spot among UAA players. Ferderigos, who finished his career
as the school's No. 2 all-time leading scorer with 1,630 points,
registered double-digit scoring in 22 of 25 outings and produced
nine contests of 20 or more points. One of the league's most
versatile cagers, he ranked prominently in a number of statistical
categories including rebounding (8th, 6.2 rpg), free throw
percentage (t-6th, .798), field goal percentage (10th, .489),
steals (2nd, 2.04 spg) and minutes (10th, 30.12 mpg). He led or
shared for the team's scoring lead on 16 occasions and was the
squad's top rebounder in seven contests. He registered five
double-doubles and led all UAA players with a school-record 146
free throws. His 453 total points represented the
fifth-highest mark in school history.
In league games, Ferderigos tossed in 18.0 points per contest,
placing him second on the conference ladder. He held down the
No. 7 position in both rebounding (6.3 rpg) and free throw
percentage (.778) and tied for third in steals (1.71 spg).
Fernandez, 6-foot-3, turned in a breakout campaign that saw him
finish No. 2 on the team and No. 9 on the UAA chart in overall
scoring with a 14.1 points per game effort. Despite giving up
a height disadvantage in the majority of games, he bulled his way
to a mark of 6.6 boards per contest, tops on the squad and seventh
in the UAA. A starter in 23 of the 24 games he saw action in,
Fernandez scored in double figures 19 games and turned in four
performances of 20 or more points. He led or shared for the
squad's scoring lead in four contests and finished as the Eagles'
top board man in 10 outings.
In conference play, Fernandez averaged 16.0 points per game, good
for the No. 5 spot on the UAA ladder, while his 48.5 percent mark
from the floor ranked him eighth among UAA players.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL DROPS SEASON
FINALE AT CASE WESTERN
(Mar. 1) - Emory senior Spiros Ferderigos, playing in his
final game, scored a game-high 29 points and sophomore Anthony
Fernandez totaled 22 points, but it wasn't enough as Case Western
recorded a 96-93 win over the Eagles. Emory closed out the
2007-08 campaign with an overall mark of 10-15, 3-11 in the
University Athletic Association. Case Western boosted its
overall mark to 8-17, 1-13 in the conference.
Both the Eagles and Spartans had their offenses in high gear with
Emory shooting 52.2 percent from the floor (36-of-69) and Case
knocking down a blistering 61.0 percent (36-of-59). The
Eagles hit 10-of-26 from three-point range (38.5%) while CWRU
converted six-of-17 from beyond the arc. Case Western sank
18-of-26 from the foul line while Emory countered with 11-of-14
from the charity stripe.
Ferderigos scored 23 of his 29 points in the second half and
finished the game sinking 11-of-17 from the field, including a pair
of three-pointers, and five-of-six from the line in registering his
21st double-figure scoring game of the season and ninth of 20 or
more points. Ferderigos also doled out five assists and
recorded four steals that enabled him to finish his career in the
No. 1 spot on the school's all-time list in that category with 201
thefts.
A jumper by Fernandez gave Emory a 79-73 lead with 7:17 left in the
game, but the Spartans rattled off a 7-0 spurt, capped by a
three-point play by Conrad Mason, that gave the hosts an 80-79 edge
with 4:31 on the clock. Mason paced the Spartans scoring
attack with 26 points, sinking 11-of-14 from the floor and
four-of-seven from the foul line. The Eagles reclaimed the
lead, 82-80, when Ferderigos nailed a three-pointer with 4:24
remaining. Ferderigos would score 10 of the team's final 14 points
of the contest.
Freshman Julien Williams put Emory ahead, 90-89, with 1:40 left,
but CWRU scored the next five points to claim a 94-90 edge with 29
ticks on the clock. Ferderigos buried a three-pointer with 22
seconds left to draw the Eagles to within one point. A pair
of free throws by Brandon Bradford with 21 seconds remaining pushed
the Spartans' lead to three points and they were able to withstand
a flurry of Emory three-point attempts to come away with the win.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL CLOSES OUT
SEASON AT CASE WESTERN
GAME FACTS - The Emory University men's
basketball team closes out the 2007-08 season this Saturday (Mar.
1) when it plays at Case Western Reserve University. The
Veale Convocation will be the site of the 32nd meeting between the
programs and tip is slated for noon.
THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is
first-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson,
'94) Named head coach in April, Zimmerman came to Emory after
serving as an assistant coach at the University of Evansville
(2003-04 through 2006-07). Prior to his stint with the Aces,
Zimmerman was an assistant at Davidson College for seven years
(1996-97 through 2002-03).
Sean McDonnell (Boston College, '96) is in his
fifth season as head coach of the Case program. Prior to his
appointment at CWRU, he served as the head coach at Hiram College
for three seasons,
2007-08 RECORDS - Emory heads into the final
contest of the year looking to snap an eight-game losing streak
that has dropped its overall record to 10-14, 3-10 effort in league
play. The Eagles came out on the short end of a pair of road games
last weekend, 78-70 at Carnegie Mellon and 76-63 at No. 14
Rochester.
Case Western entertains the Eagles with an overall record of 7-17,
0-13 in UAA action. The Spartans lost at Rochester, 75-56,
and Carnegie Mellon, 70-66, last weekend.
SERIES RECORDS - In a series that began in
1987, Emory holds an all-time mark of 16-15 against Case
Western. Emory won the initial meeting of this season in
Atlanta, 99-92. Senior Spiros Ferderigos and sophomore
Anthony Fernandez led the Eagles' scoring attack with 19 points
apiece.
FERDERIGOS CLIMBS INTO NO. 2 SPOT ON EMORY'S ALL-TIME
SCORING LIST - In last Sunday's game at Rochester,
senior Spiros Ferderigos finished with a team-high
18 points and moved into the No. 2 spot on the school's all-time
scoring list. The 6-foot-1 Ferderigos moved ahead of Chase
Fawsett's (2001-05) mark of 1,591 points and heads into his final
college game with 1,601 points to his credit. Holding down
the No. 1 spot on that list is Tim Garrett (1986-90) with 1,875
points.
EMORY SCHEDULE NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART
- In this week's listing of strength of
schedule among Division III squads, Emory's schedule is ranked as
the toughest in the nation according to the Massey Ratings and as
the second-most difficult in the nation according to D3hoops.com
(http://www.d3hoops.com/salem/08/owp.htm). The formula is
based on opponents' winning percentage as well opponents'
opponents' winning percentage.
FERNANDEZ PUTTING UP NUMBERS - Sophomore
Anthony Fernandez ran his double-figure
scoring streak to 11 games last weekend, registering 16 and 10
points against Carnegie Mellon and Rochester, respectively.
The 6-foot-3 Fernandez has chalked up 18 double-digit scoring
performances this year and his 13.7 points per game average in
overall play is good for the No. 2 spot on the team and No. 9
position among UAA players. In conference contests, he is
tossing in 15.5 points per effort, sixth on league
ladder.
FURTHER ON FERDERIGOS - In
addition to his ascension to the No. 2 spot on the school's
all-time scoring list, Spiros Ferderigos ranks prominently in other
Emory career categories. As he approaches his final game of
his memorable career, other school all-time lists he is include
free throws (1st, 490), free throw attempts (1st, 594),
scoring average (3rd, 16.5 ppg), rebounds (4th, 557),
assists (5th, 282) and free throw percentage (5th , .825). In
addition, he is tied with Paul Damm (1986-90) for the No. 1 spot on
the school's career chart in steals with 197. Spiros has at least
one steal in 22 of the Eagles' 23 games including 14 efforts of two
or more. During his tenure with Emory, Ferderigos has scored
in double figures in 82 of 97 career contests.
Through games played Feb. 24, he tops the team and stands No. 3 in
the UAA in overall scoring average (17.7 ppg) while holding down
the No. 4 position for conference games (17.2 ppg). He has
scored in double figures in 21 games this season and produced eight
contests of 20 or more points. In addition, he is seventh in the
league in rebounding (6.4 rpg), sixth in free throw percentage
(.797) and No. 2 in steals (1.96 spg).
EMORY NOTES - Emory's bench has outscored
the opposition's reserves in each of the last six games and is
averaging 29.5 points in that stretch compared to the opponent's
14.8 points ... The Eagles have converted 449 free throws this
season, third most in school history, and are four shy of moving
into the No. 2 position ... Emory has converted 73.0 percent
of its foul shots this year, fifth on the school's seasonal
ladder ... Through games played Feb. 24, Emory leads the UAA in
overall scoring average (78.5 ppg) while its No. 2 conference mark
of 73.0 percent from the charity stripe is good for a
57th-place tie on the national scene ... Freshman Julien
Williams registered his eighth double-figure scoring
effort of the season when he finished with 10 points against
Carnegie Mellon ... Williams is averaging 5.1 rebounds per
contest, good for 15th among UAA players ... Junior Brian
Giometti has scored in double figures in 11 games
this season and has posted 13 contests of two or more treys ...
Giometti is averaging 1.54 treys per game, 15th on the UAA ladder
... In the last five games, Emory is shooting a keen 80.0 percent
from the foul line (72-of-90) ... Sophomore Daniel
Curtin ranks 13th in three-point field goal percentage
(.389) and 11th in three pointers per game (1.75 tpg) ... The
Eagles have shot 50 percent or better from the floor in eight games
this season vs. six times in '06-07 ... In its 10 victories, the
Eagles have outrebounded the opposition by a 39.9-32.7 margin while
showing a 36.4-34.2 deficit in their 10 setbacks ... Emory is
shooting 49.7 percent from the floor and averaging 90.3 points in
its 10 wins while shooting 40.3 percent and averaging 70.0 points
in its defeats ...Emory has an 8-4 ledger in games when it
has outrebounded the opposition ... Junior John
Kresse finds himself tied for the No. 2 spot in the
UAA in both assists (4.29 apg) and assist/turnover ratio (+2.10)
... In conference games only, Kresse is dishing out a league best
4.92 assists per contest and ranks second in assist/turnover ratio
(+2.91) ... The Eagles have had players score in double figures on
83 occasions vs. 79 for the opposition.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TOPPED BY NO. 14
ROCHESTER - FERDERIGOS MOVES INTO No. 2 SPOT ON EMORY'S CAREER
SCORING LIST
(Feb. 24) - Facing a 21-point deficit early in the second
half, the Emory men's basketball team mounted a determined rally
but fell short in the comeback as No. 14-ranked Rochester recorded
a 76-63 win Sunday afternoon. The win upped Rochester's
record to 19-4, 8-5 in the University Athletic Association while
Emory fell to 10-14 in overall action, 3-10 in the conference.
Emory senior Spiros Ferderigos led the rally that saw the Eagles
draw to within nine points on five occasions in the second half,
scoring 16 of his team-high 18 points over the final 20 minutes of
action. In the process, Ferderigos moved into the No. 2 spot on the
school's all-time scoring list with 1,601 points. He passed
Chase Fawsett's career effort of 1,591 set from 2001-05.
Freshman Julien Williams and sophomore Anthony Fernadez each
totaled double digits in scoring with 10 points apiece.
The Yellowjackets shot 52.6 percent from the floor (30-of-57) in
the game and drained 10 three-point field goals. Emory
finished the contest connecting on 39 percent (21-of-54) of its
field goal opportunities. Rochester posted a 32-27 edge in
rebounding.
Rochester held a 46-25 lead with 17:33 remaining in the contest
before the Eagles began to whittle away at the gap. A three-pointer
by senior Dan Smith drew Emory to within 13 points, 51-38, with
12:07 left on the clock while a three-pointer by Ferderigos cut the
deficit to nine points, 56-47, with 8:43 to go. The Eagles would
cut the margin to nine points on four more occasions, the last time
being 64-55 with 3:28 remaining following a pair of charity tosses
by Fernandez.
"Our team competed hard but the margin for error in this league is
slim," head coach Jason Zimmerman said. "Playing without Spiros for
a long period during the first half made that margin even slimmer.
In the second half we made the game manageable but we couldn't seem
to break that nine-point barrier.
"Rochester is very talented both inside and outside and it is more
difficult to contest the outside shooters when its inside game is
strong."
Rochester senior Rob Dominiak led all scorers with 20 points,
hitting seven-of-12 from the floor, including six-of-10 from beyond
the arc. Junior Mike Chmielowiec chipped in 16 points.
Rochester shot 55 percent in the first half, knocking down 16-of-29
from the field. The Yellowjackets also drained six
three-point field goals during the opening 20 minutes of action and
also enjoyed a 16-10 edge on the glass. The Eagles hit just
34.7 percent (8-of-23) from the floor and were hampered by 10
turnovers.
Emory trailed by three points, 22-19, following a three pointer by
junior Malick Valliani but three consecutive three-pointers by
Dominiak keyed a 19-2 explosion over the final seven minutes of the
stanza allowing the hosts to take a 41-22 lead at halftime.
Dominiak picked up 12 points in the first half while Chmielowiec
added seven points.
Emory closes out the year next Saturday (Mar. 1) with a game at
Case Western Reserve.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL
EDGED BY CARNEGIE MELLON
(Feb. 22) - Emory senior Spiros Ferderigos totaled a
game-high 25 points and almost rallied the Eagles from a
double-digit deficit in the second half Friday evening, but his
effort fell short as Carnegie Mellon held on for a 78-70 win.
The loss dropped Emory's overall record to 10-13, 3-9 in the
University Athletic Association. With the victory, Carnegie
Mellon upped its record to 15-8 overall, 5-7 in the UAA.
Ferderigos converted 10-of-18 from the field, including a
season-high five-of-seven from three-point range, in recording his
20th double-figure scoring effort of the year and eighth of 20 or
more points. Sophomore Anthony Fernandez ended the contest as
the Eagles' other double-digit producer with 16 points while
snagging a team-best eight rebounds.
Neither team cracked the 40 percent mark from the field with the
host Tartans converting 39.7 percent (27-of-68) compared to Emory's
39.1 percent (25-of-64). The Tartans sank 21-of-27 from the
foul line while Emory hit 14-of-19. Carnegie won the turnover
battle, losing the ball on miscues on seven occasions while the
Eagles finished with 14 turnovers.
Emory trailed by a 52-41 margin with 14:17 remaining in the contest
before posting an 11-2 spurt, sparked by four points from
Ferderigos and senior Austin DeAngelis, that brought it to
within two points with 10:24 on the clock. CMU senior Greg
Gonzalez accounted for four points in an ensuing 8-1 burst by the
Tartans that increased their advantage to nine points, 62-53, with
6:21 on the clock. CMU still held a 10-point cushion, 68-58,
before five points from Ferderigos and a pair from Fernandez cut
the gap to five points with 1:48 remaining. However, CMU was
able to withstand the comeback bid by the Eagles. Gonzalez
finished with 23 points and a game-high 14 rebounds to spark the
CMU attack.
During the opening 20 minutes of action, Emory shot 46.9 percent
from the floor (15-of-32) while Carnegie Mellon hit on 40 percent
(14-of-35). Ferderigos was perfect from the field in the
first half, sinking all five of his floor attempts, including three
three-point opportunities in totaling 13 points. The Eagles
led by as many as eight points, 22-14, following a basket by
sophomore Anthony Fernandez with 9:13 left in the stanza.
However, CMU responded with a 16-4 run, key by six points by
Gonzales, to take a 30-26 lead with 6:16 on the clock. Emory
tied the game at 32-32 with 4:21 remaining following a baseline
jumper by junior Malick Valliani, but CMU closed out the stanza on
an 8-3 run to claim a 40-35 edge at halftime. Gonzalez led
the Tartans' first-half offensive effort with 13 points.
Emory returns to action on Sunday (Feb. 24) when it plays at the
University of Rochester in a noon start.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL PREPARES FOR
ROAD GAMES vs.
CARNEGIE MELLON AND ROCHESTER
GAME FACTS - With three games left on the
docket, the Emory University men's basketball team heads into the
home stretch of its season this weekend when it prepares for a pair
of University Athletic Association road contests. On Friday,
the Eagles invade Skibo Gymnasium on the Carnegie Mellon campus for
an 8:00 p.m. tip before venturing to the Louis Alexander Palestra
at the University of Rochester on Sunday in a noon start.
THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is
first-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson,
'94) Named head coach in April, Zimmerman came to Emory after
serving as an assistant coach at the University of Evansville
(2003-04 through 2006-07). Prior to his stint with the Aces,
Zimmerman was an assistant at Davidson College for seven years
(1996-97 through 2002-03).
Now in his 18th campaign as head coach at Carnegie Mellon,
Tony Wingen (Springfield College, '82) claims a
school record of 204-239. In 20 campaigns as a head coach,
which includes a two-year stint at the University of the South
(1988-89 thru 1989-90), Wingen claims a career mark of 225-267
heading into the weekend.
Mike Neer (Washington & Lee, '70) is in his
31st season as head coach at Rochester. Heading into a Friday
affair at Case Western Reserve, Neer has compiled a won-lost record
of 509-297, and directed the Yellowjackets to a total of 10 NCAA
Tournament appearances.
2007-08 RECORDS - Emory starts the weekend looking
to snap a six-game losing streak that has dropped its overall
record to 10-12, 3-8 effort in league play. The Eagles
wound up the home portion of their schedule last weekend, coming
out on the wrong end of an 87-73 decision to the University of
Chicago on Friday before dropping a hard-fought 78-71 overtime
verdict to then No. 7-ranked Washington University on Sunday.
Carnegie Mellon will play host to the Eagles with an overall record
of 14-8, 4-7 in UAA action. Last weekend, the Tartans won at
NYU, 68-60, before dropping an 84-81 decision at Brandeis. CMU
stands 7-2 this year in games played on its home floor.
Heading into a Friday game against Case Western, the University of
Rochester is ranked No. 14 in the nation by D3hoops.com, and stands
17-5 in overall play while claiming a conference-leading mark of
6-5. The Yellowjackets have dropped their last three contests
including a pair of road games last weekend, 68-64 to Brandeis and
92-85 in double overtime against NYU.
SERIES RECORDS - In a series that began in
1987, Emory holds an all-time mark of 24-16 against Carnegie
Mellon. The Eagles won the first meeting this season, 89-85,
in Atlanta with sophomore Anthony Fernandez leading the way with 23
points and eight rebounds. The Tartans have won the last six
meetings on their home floor and stand 13-7 against Emory.
In a series that has its origins in 1988, Rochester stands 26-15
against Emory. The Eagles recorded an 81-76 overtime decision
against then-ranked No. 1 Rochester earlier this year in Atlanta
with senior Spiros Ferderigos notching 22 points in the win.
Rochester has claimed victories in 16 or 20 contests played on its
home court including the last six encounters.
FERDERIGOS & FERNANDEZ TEAM UP FOR
DOUBLE-DOUBLE - Senior Spiros
Ferderigos and sophomore Anthony
Fernandez each posted a double-double in last Sunday's
game against Washington University with Ferderigos totaling 17
points and 12 rebounds en route to his fifth double-double of the
campaign and Fernandez chalking up 12 points along with a
season-high tying 12 boards in notching his third.
It marked the second time this season the pair each finished with a
double-double in the same contest. Back on December 15,
Ferderigos came up with a season-high 32 points and 12 rebounds
while Fernandez finished with 13 points and 12 boards in a 106-89
triumph over Oglethorpe University.
EMORY SCHEDULE RANKED AS TOUGHEST - In this
week's listing of strength of schedule among Division III squads,
Emory's schedule is ranked as the most difficult in the
nation. The formula is based on opponents' winning percentage
as well opponents' opponents' winning percentage. The
information can be obtained by going to the following link
-- http://www.d3hoops.com/salem/08/owp.htm
DeANGELIS SOLID OFF BENCH - Senior Austin
DeAngelis, one of five Emory players who were making
their final home appearance in Sunday's game against Washington
University, gave the Eagles some solid play off the bench.
The 6-foot DeAngelis logged 17 minutes worth of action, tying his
third-longest stint of the campaign, and registered a season-high
five points while contributing a pair of assists and steals.
His contributions helped the Emory reserves finish with a 25-5
scoring edge against the Bears' subs.
FERDERIGOS MARCHES ON - Senior Spiros Ferderigos
totaled 39 points last weekend and in the process raised his career
total to 1,561, good for the No. 3 spot on the school's all-time
list. With three games left on the schedule, he is 31 points
shy of moving past Chase Fawsett (2001-05) into the No. 2 spot on
that list. Ferderigos has scored in double figures in 80 of 95
career contests.
As for other Emory career rankings, he is first in free throws
(487), first in free throw attempts (591), third in scoring average
(16.4 ppg), fifth in rebounds (549), assists (280) and free throw
percentage (.824, 487-591) and second in steals with 194, just
three thefts shy of tying Paul Damm's (1986-90) first-place mark of
197. Spiros has at least one steal in 20 of the Eagles' 22
games including 13 contests of two or more.
Through games played Feb. 17, he tops the team and stands No. 3 in
the UAA in overall scoring average (17.5 ppg) while holding down
the No. 4 position for conference games (16.6 ppg). He has
scored in double figures in 19 games this season and produced seven
contests of 20 or more points. In addition, he is tied for sixth in
the league in rebounding (6.5 rpg), sixth in free throw percentage
(.793) and No. 2 in steals (2.00 spg).
EMORY NOTES - Emory's bench has outscored
the opposition's reserves in each of the last four games and is
averaging 34.3 points in that stretch compared to the opponent's
15.3 points ... The Eagles have converted 422 free throws this
season, seventh most in school history and are 17 shy of moving
into the No. 3 position ... Emory has converted 72.8 percent of its
foul shots this year, fifth on the school's seasonal ladder ...
Through games played Feb. 17, Emory leads the UAA and is tied for
46th nationally in scoring average (79.5 ppg) while its
conference-leading 72.8 percent mark from the charity stripe is
good for a 59th-place tie on the national scene ... Freshman
Julien Williams registered his seventh
double-figure scoring effort of the season when he finished with 10
points against Chicago ... Williams is averaging 5.3 rebounds per
contest, good for 15th among UAA players ... Junior Brian
Giometti continued his offensive production off the bench
against the Bears of Wash. U., registering 11 points, his 11th
double-digit performance of the year ... Giometti drained three
three-point field goals in the game, his sixth straight and 13th
performance of two or treys this season ... Giometti ranks
29th among UAA players in scoring average (8.6 ppg) and is 12th in
three-point percentage (.396) ... In the last three games, Emory is
shooting a keen 81.8 percent from the foul line (45-of-55) ...
After being outrebounded by a 41-28 margin in the first game
against Washington Univ., Emory finished with a 45-35 edge in
Sunday's contest, the biggest differential for the Eagles in a
conference game this season ... Sophomore Daniel
Curtin ranks among the top 30 scorers in the UAA (27th,
9.5 ppg) and is tied for 10th in three-point field goal percentage
(.398) ... The Eagles have shot 50 percent or better from the floor
in eight games this season vs. six times in 25 contests a year ago
... In its 10 victories, the Eagles have outrebounded the
opposition by a 39.9-32.7 margin while showing a 36.2-34.2 deficit
in their 10 setbacks ... Emory is shooting 49.7 percent from the
floor and averaging 90.3 points in its 10 wins while shooting 40.5
percent and averaging 70.6 points in its 12 losses ...Emory has an
8-4 ledger in games when it has outrebounded the opposition ...
Anthony Fernandez heads into the weekend with a
team-high nine game double-figure scoring streak ... Fernandez
paced the Eagles' scoring attack with a career-best 24 points
against Chicago, his 16th double-digit effort of the year and third
of 20 or more points ... Through games played Feb. 17, the 6-foot-3
Fernandez stands No. 2 on the squad and ninth among UAA players in
scoring average (13.8) ... He has been the team's top scorer in
four games this year while pacing the squad in rebounds on nine
occasions ... Junior John Kresse (Charleston, SC)
finds himself tied for the No. 2 spot in the UAA in assists (4.32
apg) and is No. 3 in assist/turnover ratio (+2.11) ... In
conference games only, Kresse is dishing out a league best 5.09
assists per contest and ranks third in assist/turnover ratio
(+3.11) ... The Eagles have had players score in double figures on
78 occasions vs. 74 for the opposition ... Emory is averaging a
league-best 19.2 free throws per game and also pace the conference
with 26.4 attempts per contest.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL EDGED BY NO. 7
RANKED WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
(Feb. 17) - Emory senior Spiros Ferderigos, playing in his
final home game, totaled 17 points and 12 rebounds, his fifth
double-double of the season, as the Eagles battled No. 7-ranked
into overtime before coming out on the short end of a 78-71
decision. The win upped Washington University's record to
18-4, 9-2 in the University Athletic Association, while Emory
slipped to 10-12 in overall action, 3-8 in the conference.
The scored was tied at 61-61 at the conclusion of regulation and
the visiting Bears hit four-of-five field goal attempts and
eight-of-12 from the foul line in outscoring Emory by a 17-10
margin. The Eagles hit just one-of-nine field goal opportunities in
the extra session, though it did stay in the game on the strength
of eight-of-eight free throw shooting.
Emory sophomore Anthony Fernandez aided in the effort by picking up
12 points and a season-high tying 12 rebounds, his third
double-double of the year and fifth performance of double-digit
boards. Junior Brian Giometti scored all 11 of his points in
the second half while freshman Julien Williams rounded out Emory's
double-figure scorers with 10 points.
After the teams battled to a 28-28 standoff after the opening 20
minutes of play, the Bears went on a 10-2 run to open the second
half and take a 38-30 advantage with 14:40 remaining. However, the
Eagles responded with an impressive 17-4 spurt over the next five
minutes to take a 47-42 lead with 9:40 left on the clock.
Giometti was a spark in the onslaught, hitting a pair of
three-point field goals, while Williams scored the last six points
of the run, with four points coming on a pair of highlight-type
dunks.
A basket by Fernandez kept the Eagles ahead by a 51-48 count with
6:58 remaining, but Washington scored the game's next seven points
to claim a 55-51 lead with 4:58 left. Emory hung in and tied
the game with 2:27 on the clock when Giometti knocked down his
third trey of the contest. After a basket by WU's Tyler
Nading enabled the Bears to retake the lead with 2:03 left,
Emory tied things up again with 42 ticks on the left after Spiros
Ferderigos converted a pair of foul shots. Giometti
blocked an ensuing Washington shot attempt and the Eagles had the
opportunity to win the game in regulation but could not convert its
opportunity.
In the overtime, the Bears scored first and never trailed.
Holding a one-point advantage with 2:32 left, the visitors used a
decisive 7-0 run, keyed by a three-pointer by Cameron Thompson, to
push its margin to eight points. Senior Troy Ruths led the
winners with a game-high 24 points while junior Tyler Nading
chipped in 19 points.
Emory returns to action next Friday evening (Feb. 22) with a road
game at Carnegie Mellon.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TOPPED BY
CHICAGO
(Feb. 15) - Emory sophomore Anthony Fernandez scored a
career-high 24 points and senior Spiros Ferderigos totaled 22
points, but it wasn't enough as the University of Chicago used a
blistering three-point shooting attack in recording an 87-73 win
over the Eagles Friday evening. The win upped Chicago's
record to 14-7 in overall action, 7-3 in University Athletic
Association action. The setback dropped the Eagles' overall
slate to 10-11, 3-7 in the league.
Chicago drained 68.2 percent of its three-point field goal
attempts, converting 15-of-22 from beyond the arc, including
nine-of-12 during the second half. For the game, the Maroons
hit on 53.1 percent of their field goal attempts (26-of-49), while
Emory finished with a 43.3 percent effort (26-of-60).
Fernandez scored 12 points in each half and ended the contest
converting eight-of-14 from the floor and seven-of-eight from the
charity stripe en route to his 15th double-figure scoring
performance of the year and third of 20 or more points. Ferderigos
hit on nine-of-19 from the field and three-of-five from the foul
line in registering his seventh outing of 20 more points of the
season. He also snagged a team-high 10 rebounds, his fourth
double-double of the campaign.
After trailing by a 37-34 margin at halftime, Emory scored the
opening five points in the second half to take a 39-37 less than a
minute into the stanza. The Maroons regrouped and held a
48-44 advantage with 13:50 left on the clock following a basket by
Fernandez. Chicago then stretched its lead with a 19-8 run over the
next six minutes, keyed by three three-point field goals, two
coming from Matt Corning, to go up by a 67-52 count with 7:48
remaining. From there, the closest Emory would get was eight
points.
"We have stretches where we play well, and we have to keep those
stretches longer in their duration," Emory Head Coach Jason
Zimmerman said. "We can't afford to have good stretches
followed by segments of the game where we don't defend well or pay
attention to details."
Emory returns to action on Sunday (Feb. 17) when it hosts
Washington University in a noon tip.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL WINDS UP HOME
PORTION OF SCHEDULE
AGAINST CHICAGO AND WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
(Feb. 14) -- GAME FACTS - The Emory
University men's basketball team winds up the home portion of the
schedule this weekend when it welcomes a pair of University
Athletic Association foes into the Woodruff PE Center. On
Friday, the Eagles battle the University of Chicago in an 8:00 p.m.
start before taking on nationally ranked Washington University on
Sunday (Feb. 17) in a noon tip.
Friday's contest will be Senior Night with Emory recognizing the
five-member senior class of Spiros Ferderigos, Seth Kramer, Dan
Smith, Austin DeAngelis and Claude Pardue, Jr.
THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is
first-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson,
'94) Named head coach in April, Zimmerman came to Emory after
serving as an assistant coach at the University of Evansville
(2003-04 through 2006-07). Prior to his stint with the Aces,
Zimmerman was an assistant at Davidson College for seven years
(1996-97 through 2002-03).
Now in his ninth campaign as head coach at the University of
Chicago, Mike McGrath (DePauw, '92) checks into
Friday's action with a school and career record of
147-79. He was tabbed as the 2006-07 UAA Coach of the
Year after guiding the team to an overall record of 20-6 and an
at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Mark Edwards (Washington University, '69) is in
his 27th season as head coach at Washington University.
Heading into a Friday game at Case Western Reserve, Edwards has
compiled a won-lost record of 468-231 which includes a 218-68
effort in UAA play. He has guided the program to nine seasons
of 20 or more wins and has 12 NCAA Tournament appearances to his
credit.
2007-08 RECORDS - Emory starts the weekend looking
to snap a four-game losing streak that has dropped its overall
record to 10-10, 3-6 in league play. The Eagles dropped a pair of
road games last weekend, 90-85 in overtime to No.10 Brandeis and
76-69 to New York University
Chicago comes to town the owners of a 13-7 overall slate, 6-3 in
UAA affairs which is good for a three-way tie for second
place. Last weekend, the Maroons dropped a 64-63 decision to
No. 3 Rochester, before bouncing back to post a 97-78 triumph over
Carnegie Mellon.
Washington University is ranked No. 7 in the nation by D3hoops.com
and stands 16-4 in overall play while claiming a conference-leading
mark of 7-2. The Bears topped Carnegie Mellon, 79-68, and
Rochester, 54-53, last weekend.
SERIES RECORDS - The all-time series between
Emory and Washington University began in 1988 and the Bears hold a
33-8 record against the Eagles. Washington has won the last
four meetings between the schools including an 83-65 verdict
earlier this season in Saint Louis. The Bears have compiled a 14-6
effort against the Eagles in games played on Emory's home
floor.
In a series that has its origins in 1987, Chicago stands 29-13
against Emory. The Maroons have won the last five meetings
including a 91-65 decision in this year's initial clash. Chicago
has captured 11 of 20 contests played on Emory's home court.
`
GIOMETTI A SPARK OFF THE BENCH - Junior
Brian Giometti came off the bench and scored 12
points in games against Brandies and NYU last weekend, giving him
double-figure point production in five of his last six
outings. The 6-foot-1 Giometti has seen action as a reserve
in 19 of Emory's 20 games and has registered 10 performances of
double-digit point production. Against the Violets of NYU, he
converted a season-high tying four-of-six from three-point range,
the 11th time this year he totaled two or more treys in a game.
In his last five performances, Giometti is averaging 10.8 points
while shooting at a 51.4 percent clip (19-of-37) from the floor,
including 50 percent (11-of-22) from beyond the arc. Overall, his
8.6 points per game average ranks him 29th among UAA players while
his 41.3 percent showing (31-of-75) from three-point range places
him 12th on the UAA ladder.
FERNANDEZ MAKES HIS POINTS - Sophomore
Anthony Fernandez enters the final home
weekend of the year with a team-high seven straight games of
double-figure scoring. Last weekend, the 6-foot-3 Fernandez
totaled 10 points against Brandeis before putting up 13 points
against NYU. Fernandez, a starter in all 19 games he has seen
action in, has chalked up 14 performances of double-figure scoring
and he holds down the No. 2 spot on the team and 11th position on
the UAA chart in scoring average (13.4 ppg).
In the rebounding department, he tops the team and is seventh among
conference players with a 6.5 per-game average. He has
either led or shared for team honors in rebounding on eight
occasions.
FERDERIGOS CRACKS 1,500 CAREER POINT PLATEAU -
Senior Spiros Ferderigos cracked the 1,500-career point plateau
last Friday with his 19-point performance against Brandeis.
Ferderigos totaled 27 points in the contests against the Judges and
NYU and checks into this weekend's outing with 1,522 points to his
credit, good for the No. 3 spot on the school's all-time chart.
As for other Emory career rankings, he is first in free throws
(474), fifth in rebounds (528) and fifth in assists (276).
Through games played Feb. 10, he tops the team and stands No. 3 in
the UAA in overall scoring average (17.3 ppg) while holding down
the No. 4 position for conference games (16.0 ppg). He has
scored in double figures in 17 games this season and produced six
contests of 20 or more points. In addition to those standings, he
is tied for ninth in the league in rebounding (6.1 rpg), sixth in
free throw percentage (.788) and tied for No. 1 in steals (2.00
spg).
EMORY NOTES - Senior Seth
Kramer (Winter Park, FL) totaled 14 points, his
second-highest career total and career best for a conference game
at Brandeis ... It marked his third double-figure scoring effort of
the campaign ... The Eagles turned the ball over a season-low eight
times in the NYU contest ... Emory has been shooting well from
beyond the arc in its last three games, draining 45.5 percent of
its attempts (25-of-55) in that stretch ... Sophomore
Daniel Curtin (Great Barrington, MA) knocked down
a career-best eight-of-12 from the floor, including four-of-eight
from three-point land, en route to a team-high 20 points vs. NYU,
his second-highest career total and ninth double-figure game of the
campaign ... Curtin has a team-high 40 treys this season and his
41.7 percentage from distance places him 11th among UAA cagers
while his 2.0 treys per game is good for a ninth-place tie
... In his last five games, junior John
Kresse (Charleston, SC) has dished out 31 assists while
registering just six turnovers in 28.8 minutes per contest ...
Kresse leads the UAA in assists in overall play (4.35 apg) and is
No. 3 in assist/turnover ratio (+2.18) ... Emory shot 50.8 percent
from the field against Brandeis, the fifth time in conference
play that it had reached that mark ... The Eagles head into
the weekend No. 2 in the UAA in free throw shooting (.723) ...
Freshman Julien Williams (Potomac, MD) came
through with his sixth double-figure scoring effort of the season
with 13 points vs. Brandeis while also coming up with a team-high
nine rebounds, the fifth time in '07-08 that he led or shared for
team honors in that category ... Through games played Feb. 10,
Williams ranks 14th among UAA players in overall rebounding (5.4
rpg) ... Through games played Feb. 10, Emory ranks first in the UAA
and 34th nationally in scoring offense (80.4 ppg) ... The
Eagles have shot 50 percent or better from the floor in eight games
this season vs. six times in 25 contests a year ago ... In its 10
victories, the Eagles have outrebounded the opposition by a
39.9-32.7 margin while showing a 36.8-33.6 deficit in their 10
setbacks ... Emory is shooting 49.7 percent from the floor and
averaging 90.3 points in its 10 wins while shooting 40.5 percent
and averaging 70.3 points in its 10 losses ...Emory has an 8-3
ledger in games when it has outrebounded the opposition ...
Ferderigos has 190 career thefts to his
credit, No. 2 all-time at Emory, and trails only Paul Dam's
(1986-90) No. 1 mark of 197 ... Spiros has at least one steal
in 19 of the Eagles' 20 games including 13 contests of two or more
... Ferderigos has scored in double figures in 78 of 93 career
contests ... The Eagles have players score in double figures on 72
occasions vs. 66 for the opposition ... Emory has made 391 free
throws this year, the ninth-highest single-season total in school
history ... The Eagles are averaging a league-best 19.5 free throws
per game and also pace the conference with 27.1 attempts per
contest.
EMORY SCHEDULE RANKED AS THIRD TOUGHEST - In
this week's listing of strength of schedule among Division III
squads, Emory's schedule is ranked as the third most difficult in
the nation. The formula is based on opponents' winning
percentage as well opponents' opponents' winning percentage.
The information can be obtained by going to the following link
-- http://www.d3hoops.com/salem/08/owp.htm.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL DROPS
ROAD DECISION TO NYU
(Feb. 10) - Emory sophomore Daniel Curtin totaled
20 points to lead three double-figure scorers, but the Eagles fell
victim to a hot-shooting New York University team Sunday afternoon
as the Violets posted a 76-69 win. The win raised NYU's
record to 14-6 in overall action, 5-4 in the University Athletic
Association. The loss dropped Emory's overall mark to 10-10,
3-6 in league outings.
NYU trailed by two points at halftime but shot 80 percent from the
floor (16-of-20) and from three-point range (8-of-10) over the
final 20 minutes of action in picking up the triumph. Leading the
way for host NYU was Keith Jensen, who drained eight-of-14 from the
field, including five-of-11 from beyond the arc, en route to a
game-high 23 points. Charlie Parker chipped in 16 points.
In a closely played first half that featured both seven ties and
lead changes, Emory received 10 points from Curtin in claiming a
30-28 halftime advantage. Junior Malick Valliani sank a pair
of free throws with three seconds left in the opening half that
snapped a 28-28 deadlock. The Eagles shot 50 percent from the
floor (10-of-20) in the opening stanza while NYU converted 42.6
percent (11-of-26) of its opportunities.
A basket by sophomore Anthony Fernandez at the start of the second
half gave the Eagles a 32-28 edge, however the Violets rattled off
nine unanswered points to take a 37-32 lead with 16:49 left on the
clock. After a pair of free throws by Spiros Ferderigos drew
the Eagles to within three points, NYU went on a decisive 11-0 run,
keyed by three-pointers by Jensen, Parker and Zach Kuby, to take a
commanding 48-34 cushion with 12:54 remaining.
Curtin hit eight-of-12 from the floor, including four-of-eight from
three-point range, in registering his second-highest career
total. Fernandez finished with 13 points, his 14th
double-digit performance of the campaign, while Brian Giometti hit
four-of-six from three-point range in totaling 12 points.
For the game, NYU shot 58.7 percent from the floor (27-of-46) while
the Eagles finished at 47.8 percent (22-of-46). Both squads
shot well from distance with Emory chalking up a 42.3 percent
(11-of-26) effort and NYU an even 50 percent (12-of-24).
Emory returns to action next Friday (Feb. 15) when it hosts the
University of Chicago in an 8:00 p.m. start.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL FALLS IN
OVERTIME TO NO. 10 BRANDEIS
(Feb. 8) - Emory senior Spiros Ferderigos totaled 19
points and Seth Kramer added 14 but it wasn't enough as the Eagles
came out on the short end of a tough 90-85 overtime decision to No.
10-ranked Brandeis Friday evening. The win boosted Brandeis'
record to 15-4 overall (5-3 UAA) while Emory saw its record drop to
10-9 (3-5 UAA).
Emory shot 50.8 percent from the floor in the game (33-of-65),
including 50 percent from three-point range (8-of-16), while
Brandeis finished with a 50 percent effort (27-of-54) from the
field. Emory held a 35-28 edge in rebounding and was led in that
department by freshman Julien Williams with nine boards while also
chipping in 13 points. Other double-figure Emory point
producers included Brian Giometti with 12 points and Anthony
Fernandez with 10.
Joe Coppens of Brandeis led all scorers with 23 points while
Terrell Hollins contributed 17 points.
Emory held a 67-62 lead with 4:35 left in regulation following a
basket by Fernandez. A three-pointer by the Judges' Joe Coppens
capped a 9-2 spurt by the hosts and put them up by a 71-68 count
with 2:59 on the clock. Emory drew to within 73-72 following
a bucket by Brian Giometti but Coppens countered with a basket with
1:16 left on the clock to push Brandeis' edge back to three
points. After Ferderigos calmly sank a pair of free throws
with 35 ticks on the clock to narrow the gap to one point,
Giometti knocked down a clutch three-pointer with 22 seconds
remaining to give Emory a 77-75 edge. With time winding down,
BU's Andre Roberson was fouled shooting a three-point shot.
Roberson converted his first two from the charity stripe before
misfiring on the third attempt that forced the extra session.
In the extra session, Brandeis scored nine of its 13 points from
the foul line with Andre Roberson sinking four and Coppens
three. The Judges never trailed in during the overtime
frame. Fernandez picked up four points in overtime for
Emory.
Emory returns to action on Sunday (Feb. 10) when it plays at New
York University in a noon start.
EMORY'S JOHN KRESSE NAMED SECOND
TEAM ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT
(Feb. 8) - Emory University junior John
Kresse (Charleston, SC), a key member of the Eagles'
basketball squad, has been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic
All-District Men's Basketball Team. Kresse was a second-team
selection for District 3 in the College Division. The College
Division consists of colleges and universities from NCAA Divisions
II, and III and the NAIA.
The honor is awarded annually to student athletes who have excelled
both academically and athletically. To be eligible, a nominee
must have reached sophomore academic and athletic standing at
his/her current institution, carry a cumulative grade-point average
of 3.2 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) and be a starter or key
reserve.
The 6-foot-1 Kresse majors in English and maintains a 3.86
grade-point average. He has been a solid contributor on the
court, starting all 18 Emory contests to date and averaging 7.9
points while doling out a team-high 4.17 assists per game, good for
a second-place tie among UAA players through games played Feb.
3. Kresse has produced six double-figure scoring contests and
is shooting 54.9 percent from the floor (50-of-91). In addition, he
holds down the No. 4 position in the conference in assist/turnover
ratio (+2.03).
Voting for the Academic All-District team is conducted by the
College Sports Information Directors of America. District 3
is composed of NCAA institutions in the states of Florida, Georgia,
North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL PREPARES FOR UAA
ROAD GAMES vs.
BRANDEIS & NYU
GAME FACTS - Coming off a four-game
homestand, the Emory University men's basketball team begins the
second half portion of the University Athletic Association schedule
this weekend with a pair of road games. On Friday (Feb. 8),
the Eagles meet Brandeis University in a 6:00 p.m. start before
closing out the weekend with a Sunday tilt at New York University
beginning at noon.
THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is
first-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson,
'94) Named head coach in April, Zimmerman came to Emory after
serving as an assistant coach at the University of Evansville
(2003-04 through 2006-07). Prior to his stint with the Aces,
Zimmerman was an assistant at Davidson College for seven years
(1996-97 through 2002-03).
Joe Nesci (Brooklyn College, '79) is in his 20th
season as head coach at NYU. During his tenure, he has
compiled a won-lost record of 348-160 and directed the Violets to
18 winning seasons and 12 postseason appearances.
In his fifth campaign as head coach at Brandeis University is
Brian Meehan (Clark University, '86). Last
year, Meehan guided the Judges to an overall record of 20-7, the
program's third straight winning campaign. He is in his 12th year
as a head coach overall, having served in that capacity for seven
seasons at Salem State College.
2007-08 RECORDS - Emory invades Brandeis sporting
an overall record of 10-8 including a 3-4 effort in league play.
The Eagles dropped a pair of hotly contested home games last
weekend, 78-71 to NYU and 89-81 to then No. 9-ranked Brandeis.
Brandeis, ranked No. 10 in the nation by D3hoops.com, hosts Emory
with an overall record of 14-4 including a 4-3 effort in conference
games. Before topping Emory last Sunday, the Judges won at
Case Western Reserve, 90-75. Brandeis has a 5-2 mark in home
games this season.
NYU heads into a Friday evening affair against Case Western with a
12-6 overall effort, 3-4 in the UAA. After emerging with a
victory over Emory, the Violets ventured to Cleveland and
registered a 79-67 triumph against Case.
SERIES RECORDS - NYU's win at Emory last
weekend upped its all-time record against the Eagles to 28-14.
In games played on the Violets' home floor, they stand 15-6
against Emory.
In a series that saw the first game played in 1988, Brandeis holds
a slim 22-19 advantage over the Eagles. The Judges have
captured 13 of the 20 meetings played on their home court.
Overall, Brandeis has won the last nine games in the series.
KRESSE DIRECTING EMORY OFFENSE - Junior
John Kresse continued his steady play last
weekend, averaging 8.5 points, 7.5 assists and 4.5 rebounds in
games against NYU and No. 9-ranked Brandeis. The 6-foot-1
Kresse dished out a career-high nine assists against NYU and
followed that effort with 13 points, his sixth double-figure effort
of the season, and six assists (zero turnovers) in a season-long
tying 34 minutes against Brandeis.
In his last three outings, John has registered 19 assists and just
three turnovers which has help him to a No. 4 ranking among UAA
players in assist/turnover ratio (+2.03).
In addition, he leads the squad and is No. 2 in the conference in
assists (4.17 apg) in overall games and claims the top spot in
league contests (5.17 apg). He has either led or shared for
team honors in assists on nine occasions this year.
FERNANDEZ BATTLES ON THE BOARDS - Sophomore
Anthony Fernandez led Emory in rebounding in
both games last weekend, snatching nine boards against NYU and 11
against Brandeis, his fourth double-figure performance of the
campaign. The 6-foot-3 frontliner has been the Eagles' leader
on the glass in the last three games, averaging 9.3 caroms in that
stretch.
Despite often giving up a height disadvantage (he is the shortest
player among the league's top 8 rebounders), Fernandez ranks fifth
among UAA cagers in overall rebounding with a 6.9 per-game
average. He has been the Eagles' top board man in seven
contests.
Offensively, Anthony has made his mark, holding down the No. 2 spot
on the team and the 11th position on the UAA scoring ladder with a
13.6 per-game effort. Fernandez has notched double digits in
points in his last five and in a total of 12 games this season. In
league affairs, he is averaging 16.7 points, good for the third
spot on the conference chart.
FERDERIGOS CONTINUES MARCH - After seeing a
12-game double-figure scoring streak come to a halt in the NYU
game, senior Spiros Ferderigos bounced back with a team-high
20-point performance against Brandeis, his sixth contest of 20 or
more points this year. Through games played Feb. 3, Ferderigos in
No. 3 in the UAA in scoring (17.7 ppg) in overall play and is No. 4
in league outings (16.2).
The team leader in scoring in 11 games, Ferderigos moved into the
No. 3 position on the school's all-time scoring list in the
Brandeis game and starts the weekend with 1,495 points. In
addition to his point total, he is all-time leader at Emory in free
throws (466), seventh in rebounds (518) and fifth in assists
(273).
A glance at the UAA statistics reveal that Ferderigos is tied for
ninth in overall rebounding (6.3 rpg), sixth in free throw
percentage (.808), and No. 2 in steals (2.06 spg).
EMORY NOTES - Emory shot 53.7 percent from
the field against NYU, the fourth time in conference play
that it had connected on 50 percent or better from the floor
.... Sophomore Daniel Curtin (Great
Barrington, MA) drained seven three-point field goals in the NYU
game, tying the second-highest single-game total in school history
... Curtin ranks 12th among UAA performances in three-point field
goal percentage (.412) and is ninth in treys per game (1.94) ...
Emory converted a season-high 13 three-pointers against NYU, tying
the fifth-highest single-game standard in school history ... In its
last three contests, Emory is shooting 75.2 percent from the foul
line (67-of-89) ... The Eagles head into the weekend No. 3 in the
UAA in free throw shooting (.722) ... Emory has been outrebounded
in four of the last six games ... In its 10 victories, the Eagles
have outrebounded the opposition by a 39.9-32.7 margin while
showing a 39.0-34.8 deficit in their eight setbacks ... Junior
Brian Giometti came up with 11 points in the NYU
game, his eighth double-figure scoring game of the season ...
Through games played Feb. 3, freshman Julien
Williams ranks 14th among UAA players in overall
rebounding (5.4 rpg) ... Through games played Feb. 3, Emory ranks
first in the UAA and 36th nationally in scoring offense (80.7
ppg) ... The Eagles have shot 50 percent or better from the floor
in eight games this season vs. six times in 25 contests a year ago
... Emory is shooting 49.7 percent from the floor and averaging
90.3 points in its 10 wins while shooting 38.4 percent and
averaging 68.6 points in its eight losses ... Emory has an 8-2
ledger in games when it has outrebounded the opposition ...
Ferderigos has 187 career thefts to his
credit, No. 2 all-time at Emory, and trails only Paul Dam's
(1986-90) No. 1 mark of 197 ... Spiros has at least one steal
in 17 of the Eagles' 18 games including 12 contests of two or more
... Ferderigos has scored in double figures in 77 of 91 career
contests ... The Eagles have players score in double figures on 64
occasions vs. 57 for the opposition ... The Eagles are averaging a
league-best 20.3 free throws per game and also pace the conference
with 28.2 attempts per contest.
MASSEY RATINGS HAVE UAA AS TOP DIVISION III
CONFERENCE - The University Athletic Association is the
top-ranked Division III conference in the nation according to the
Massey Ratings. Out of the 406 teams ranked, the UAA has three
teams slated among the top 15 squads (Rochester, #2; Brandeis
University, #8 & Washington University #9). The
University of Chicago is ranked 23rd, Carnegie Mellon 29th and
Emory 38th.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL EDGED BY NO.
9-RANKED BRANDEIS
(Feb. 3) - Facing a 13-point second-half deficit, the Emory
University men's basketball team stormed back to within two points
before falling to No. 9-ranked Brandeis University Sunday
afternoon. The Judges escaped the Woodruff PE Center with an
89-81 triumph over Emory and in the process raised their overall
record to 14-4, 4-3 in the University Athletic Association.
The setback dropped Emory's overall mark to 10-8, 3-4 in the
conference.
Senior Spiros Ferderigos paced the Emory scoring attack with 20
points, his sixth outing of 20 or more points this season, while
contributing six rebounds and doling out six assists.
Sophomore Anthony Fernandez totaled 17 points along with a
game-high 11 rebounds, his second double-double of the campaign and
fourth performance of double-digit rebounding. Junior John
Kresse rounded out the double-figure scorers for the Eagles with 13
points.
Emory was trailing by a 22-17 count with 11:36 remaining in the
first half before rattling off a 15-1 run, sparked by a pair of
three-point field goals by Kresse, to go up by a 32-23 margin with
6:54 left in the stanza. The Eagles still held a 35-30 cushion with
3:55 remaining following a pair of free throws by freshman Julien
Williams but Brandeis responded with a 9-0 spurt, with seven points
coming from sophomore guard Andre Roberson, to take a 39-35 lead.
The Judges would maintain an advantage for the remainder of the
period and went into halftime with a 45-43 margin. Both teams
shot well from the floor during the opening 20 minutes of play with
Emory connecting on 50 percent of its attempts (13-of-26) while
Brandeis hit 51.6 percent (16-of-31).
Back-to-back three-pointers by BU's Kevin Olson capped an 11-0
start to open the second half and pushed the Judges' lead to 56-43
with 16:28 left in the game. A three-pointer by junior Brian
Giometti followed by a bucket by senior Seth Kramer drew the Eagles
to within seven points with 14:51 on the clock. A layup
by Roberson gave the visitors a 10-point bulge, 65-55, with 10:49
remaining before Emory received eight points from Ferderigos and
four points from Fernandez to ignite a 12-4 spurt that cut the gap
to a pair at 69-67 with 7:47 left. Ferderigos would score
Emory's next six points and his pair of charity tosses with 3:37
left on the clock kept Emory within striking distance at
76-73. But a 7-1 Brandies response pushed its advantage to
83-74 with 54 seconds and stymied Emory's comeback bid.
Roberson came off the bench to lead the Brandeis attack with a
game-high 29 points, hitting nine-of-11 both from the field and the
free throw line. Senior Joe Coppens chipped in 15 points in
the win.
Emory finished the game shooting 45.6 percent from the field
(26-of-57) while Brandeis managed to connect on 49.2 percent
(31-of-63). The Eagles shot better from beyond the arc,
hitting 46.2 percent (6-of-13) while the Judges checked in at 38.9
percent (7-of-18). Both squads grabbed 34 rebounds.
Emory returns to action next Friday (Feb. 8) when it plays at
Brandeis in an 8:00 p.m. tip.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL RALLY FALLS
SHORT vs. NYU
(Feb. 1) - Sophomore Daniel Curtin totaled a career-high
21 points and converted seven three-point field goals but it wasn't
enough as New York University built a 15-point second-half lead
before withstanding a furious Emory rally in claiming a 78-71
triumph on Friday evening. The win upped NYU's overall record
to 11-6, 2-4 in University Athletic Association play, while Emory
saw its mark slip to 10-7 overall, 3-3 in UAA action.
Curtin's seven treys were just one shy of tying the school
single-game record of eight held by Richard Sommers (vs. LaGrange
College, Nov. 16, 2001) and tied him with Jeff Hall and Adrian Sosa
for the second-highest total.
NYU shot 53.7 percent from the floor (22-of-41) for the game while
Emory connected on 38.3 percent (23-of-60). The Eagles
converted 38.2 percent from three-point range, sinking a
season-high 13-of-34 from beyond the arc and registered a 32-27
edge in rebounding. The Violets enjoyed a wide edge in the
free throws department, sinking 26-of-35 while Emory made
12-of-16.
NYU raced out to an 8-0 lead before Emory answered with an 11-2
run, keyed by a pair of treys by Curtin and one by senior Dan
Smith, to take an 11-10 lead with 13:44 left in the first
half. From there, the teams jockeyed back and forth before
battling to a 30-30 standoff after the opening 20 minutes of
action.
The Eagles scored the first five points of the second half as
sophomore Anthony Fernandez hit a jumper followed by a
three-pointer by senior Spiros Ferderigos. However, the
Violets responded with an 11-2 run to claim a 41-37 advantage with
15:23 remaining. NYU held a 47-44 edge with 11:01 left on the
clock following a Curtin three-pointer before going on a 12-0 tear
to distance itself from the Eagles, 59-44, with 7:36 remaining.
Junior Brian Giometti kept Emory's hopes alive with five straight
points to cut the gap to 10, however a layup by the Violets' John
Mish pushed NYU's lead to 66-52 with 3:19 on the clock.
Undaunted, a determined Emory team mounted a 15-5 charge that was
keyed by a pair of three-pointers by Curtin, a trey by Giometti,
four points from John Kresse and two points from Dan Smith that
drew the Eagles to within four points with 53 ticks on the clock.
However, that was as close as Emory would get as it suffered just
its second setback in nine home contests.
Fernandez finished with 12 points along with a game-high nine
rebounds for the Eagles while Giometti totaled 11 points.
Kresse played a solid floor game with nine assists in 27 minutes of
action.
"Even though NYU shot 60 percent in the first half, I felt that
they hit some tough shots late in the shot clock," Emory Head Coach
Jason Zimmerman said. "In the second half, they shot a lower
percentage but I felt that they got better looks earlier in the
shot clock.
"I give our guys credit for playing hard the whole game and getting
back to the point where getting a couple of breaks might have
spelled the difference. We have to be able to stop runs by
teams with staying power and detail to defensive assignments.
However, we did not do that tonight."
Emory returns to action on Sunday (Feb. 3) when it entertains No.
9-ranked Brandeis starting at noon.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM CONTINUES
UAA HOMESTAND
GAME FACTS - After coming off a successful home
weekend, the Emory University men's basketball team returns to the
Woodruff PE Center this weekend for a pair of University Athletic
Association home dates. On Friday (Feb. 1), the Eagles play
host to New York University in an 8:00 p.m. tip before closing out
the weekend with a Sunday bout against nationally ranked Brandeis
in a noon start.
THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is
first-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson,
'94) Named head coach in April, Zimmerman came to Emory after
serving as an assistant coach at the University of Evansville
(2003-04 through 2006-07). Prior to his stint with the Aces,
Zimmerman was an assistant at Davidson College for seven years
(1996-97 through 2002-03).
Joe Nesci (Brooklyn College, '79) is in his 20th
season as head coach at NYU. During his tenure, he has
compiled a won-lost record of 347-159 and directed the Violets to
18 winning seasons and 12 postseason appearances.
In his fifth campaign as head coach at Brandeis University is
Brian Meehan (Clark University, '86). Last
year, Meehan guided the Judges to an overall record of 20-7, the
program's third straight winning campaign. He is in his 12th year
as a head coach overall, having served in that capacity for seven
seasons at Salem State College.
2007-08 RECORDS - Emory enters Friday's action
with an overall record of 10-6 including a 3-2 effort in league
play, good for fourth place. The Eagles recorded an epic 81-76
overtime victory at home against No. 1-ranked Rochester on Friday
before posting an 89-85 come-from-behind win against Carnegie
Mellon on Sunday. Emory has compiled a 7-1 won-lost ledger in
home contests this season.
NYU brings an overall effort of 10-6 into Friday's outing and
stands 1-4 in UAA outings. Last weekend, the Violets dropped
a pair of home games, 57-50 to now No. 1-ranked Washington
University and 61-44 to the University of Chicago.
Brandeis, ranked No. 9 in the nation by D3hoops.com, posts an
overall record of 12-4 including a 2-3 effort in conference
games. The Judges dropped a pair of nailbiters at home last
weekend, 79-77 to Chicago and 71-69 to now No. 1-ranked Washington
University.
SERIES RECORDS - NYU claims a 27-14
advantage in the series with Emory that began in 1986. The
Violets captured both of last year's meetings, 69-50 in New York
and 69-66 in Atlanta. In games played on Emory's home floor,
the NYU holds a 12-8 edge.
In a series that saw the first game played in 1988, Brandeis
holds a slim 21-19 advantage over the Eagles. The Judges have
had the better of the series in recent years winning the last eight
meetings, including last season's 74-50 (at Brandeis) and 76-67
decisions. Emory stands 12-8 against Brandeis in games played
on its home floor.
HOME SWEET HOME - Emory has used the Woodruff PE
Center to its advantage this year, recording a 7-1 home mark, the
best eight-game record ledger since the 1997-98 campaign when that
club turned in a similar effort. The Eagles have shot 50
percent or better from the floor in five games at home this year
(all three UAA contests) and are connecting at a 46.1 percent clip
(220-of-477) compared to the opposition's mark of 45.2
percent. While Emory has been outshot from three-point range
by its foes (35.8 percent vs. 34.9 percent), it has made up for
that by hitting a solid 75.5 percent from the charity stripe
(209-of-277) vs. opponents' 68.3 percent (155-of-227).
GIOMETTI SPARKS BENCH EFFORT - Junior
Brian Giometti spearheaded a strong performance by
Emory reserves this past weekend by turning in a pair of
double-figure scoring games. Giometti knocked down a pair of
three-point field goals en route to 10 points, while also pulling
down four rebounds, against Rochester before totaling 11 points and
a pair of steals against Carnegie Mellon. He hit
five-of-eight from the floor against the Tartans in notching his
seventh double-figure scoring game of the season. The Eagles'
reserves outpointed CMU's bench by a 37-25 margin and also received
15 points from senior Dan Smith.
FERDERIGOS CONTINUES MARCH - As usual, senior
Spiros Ferderigos played a prominent role in the
success of the Eagles, averaging 18.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in
the wins over Rochester and Carnegie Mellon. Ferderigos
totaled a team-best 22 points against Rochester before chalking up
15 points against CMU. Though he finished with just 14 field
goal attempts, he sank eight of those for a 57.1 percent
clip. He spent a good portion of the weekend at the foul
line, sinking 21-of-30 opportunities. He is now shooting 80.9
percent (110-of-136) from the charity stripe, good for the No. 6
spot among UAA players.
Spiros has scored in double figures in 12 straight and in a total
of 15 games this year. He has produced five contests of 20 or more
points and his 18.1 points per game average in overall play paces
all UAA cagers. He is tossing in 17.8 points per conference
outing and holds down the No. 2 position on the UAA chart.
Career-wise, he has totaled 1,467 points, good for the
No. 4 spot on the school's all-time list, and he is just 14 points
from passing Terry Gorsuch's (1987-91) No. 3 mark of 1,480.
In addition his offensive totals, Ferderigos is No. 7 in the league
in rebounding (6.3 rpg) and No. 1 in steals (2.19 spg).
EMORY NOTES - Dan Smith's
well-timed 15 points against Carnegie Mellon was his second-highest
total of the season and most productive outing since November 24
when he tallied 20 points against Maryville College ... Smith went
three-of-four from beyond the arc and six-of-seven from the foul
line in recording his seventh double-figure scoring performance of
the campaign ... Smith is shooting a keen 88.9 percent from the
foul line (48-of-54), good for the No. 1 spot among UAA performers
... Freshman Julien Williams recorded his first
double-double with a 17-point, 12-rebound effort against Rochester
... His 12 boards against the Yellowjackets represented his second
double-figure rebounding performance of the campaign ... Williams
enters the weekend averaging 5.7 rebounds per outing, good for the
No. 14 position among UAA players ... Through games played Jan. 27,
Emory ranks first in the UAA and 34th nationally in scoring offense
(81.3 ppg) ... The Eagles have shot 50 percent or better from
the floor in seven games this season vs. six times in 25 contests a
year ago ... Sophomore Anthony Fernandez, named
the UAA Co-Player of the Week, is averaging 17.3 points, 4.5
rebounds and shooting 54.9 percent from the field (28-of-51) over
the last four games ... Fernandez has scored in double figures on
10 occasions this year and has led or shared for team scoring
honors in three games ... Emory is averaging 90.3 points in its 10
wins, 66.2 in its six defeats ... Emory's 10-6 record is the
program's best 16-game start since the 2004-05 campaign when that
team recorded an 11-5 mark, and just the sixth time in 22 years
that an Eagle team had reached double figures in wins through that
point in the season ... Emory has an 8-1 ledger in games where it
has outrebounded the opposition ... In its 10 victories, the Eagles
have outrebounded the opposition by a 39.9-32.7 margin while
showing a 41.7-35.3 deficit in their six setbacks ... Ferderigos
has 185 career thefts to his credit, No. 2 all-time at Emory,
and trails only Paul Dam's (1986-90) No. 1 mark of 197 ...
Spiros has at least one steal in every game this year including 11
contests of two or more ... Ferderigos has scored in double figures
in 76 of 89 career contests ... The Eagles have players score in
double figures on 58 occasions vs. 48 for the opposition ... The
Eagles are averaging a league-best 20.7 free throws per game and
also pace the conference with 28.8 attempts per contest ... Junior
John Kresse is tied for third in the UAA with a
3.75 assists per-game average ... In addition, he is sixth in the
conference in assist/turnover ratio (+1.71).
MASSEY RATINGS HAVE UAA AS TOP DIVISION III
CONFERENCE - The University Athletic Association is the
top-ranked Division III conference in the nation according to the
Massey Ratings. Out of the 406 teams ranked, the UAA has three
teams slated among the top 15 squads (Rochester, #2; Washington
University, #4 & Brandeis #13). Emory is ranked
33rd.
ANTHONY FERNANDEZ NAMED UAA PLAYER OF THE WEEK
(Jan. 29) - Emory University sophomore Anthony Fernandez (Miami, FL) has been selected by the University Athletic Association as Basketball Co-Player of the Week following his performance in the Eagles' wins against No. 1-ranked Rochester and Carnegie Mellon University. Fernandez shares the honor with Troy Ruths of Washington University. It marks the first time in his career that he has been tabbed for the honor.
The 6-foot-3 Fernandez totaled 20 points (second high on the
team), two blocked shots and two steals in the Eagles' dramatic
81-76 overtime triumph against the top-ranked Yellowjackets of
Rochester on Friday before pacing the club with a career-high 23
points, a team-best eight rebounds and two steals in an 89-85
decision against Carnegie Mellon. Over the course of the two
games, he averaged 21.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals while
shooting 56.3 percent (18-of-32) from the floor and 77.8 percent
from the foul line (7-of-9).
Fernandez has scored in double figures on 10 occasions this season
and has either led or shared for team scoring honors on three
occasions. He is averaging 13.5 points per game, good for the
No. 2 spot on the team and No. 12 position among University
Athletic Association players. He ranks first on the Emory
scoresheet and is No. 5 among UAA players in rebounding (6.5 rpg).
Emory, 10-6 on the year in overall play, including 3-2 in
UAA contests, returns to action on Feb. 1 when it hosts New York
University in an 8:00 p.m. start. The Eagles are ranked 33rd in the
nation in this week's Massey Ratings.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM RALLIES FOR
WIN AGAINST CARNEGIE MELLON
(Jan. 27) - Sophomore Anthony Fernandez scored a career-high 23
points to lead four Emory double-figure scorers as the Eagles
rallied for an 89-85 win over Carnegie Mellon on Sunday
afternoon. The win boosted Emory's overall record to 10-6,
3-2 in University Athletic Association play. The setback dropped
CMU's overall slate to 11-5, 1-4 in the conference.
Fernandez finished the game hitting nine-of-19 from the floor and
five-of-six from the line en route to his second consecutive game
of 20 or more points. In addition, he grabbed a team-high
eight rebounds. Along with Fernandez's point production, the Eagles
received 15 points apiece from seniors Spiros Ferderigos and Dan
Smith. Rounding out the team's double-digit producers was
junior Brian Giometti with11 points.
After posting a win over No. 1-ranked Rochester on Friday, the
Eagles found themselves trailing by a 61-49 margin with 12:38 left
in the game. Emory then went on an 18-6 run, keyed by six points by
junior John Kresse and five points apiece by Dan Smith and
Ferderigos, to take a 67-66 lead with 9:05 remaining. From
there, the game was hotly contest with a total of four ties and the
largest point differential being four points. After a foul
shot by CMU's Corey O'Rourke cut Emory's advantage to 77-76, senior
Seth Kramer hit a key bucket with 2:04 left to extend Emory's lead
to 79-76. From there, the game became a foul-shooting affair with
the Eagles knocking down 10 of their final 12 attempts en route to
the win.
"As proud as I was of our team on Friday following the Rochester
game, I am just as proud, if not more, of the way they hung in and
battled back today," Emory Head Coach Jason Zimmerman said.
The way we played defensively down the stretch played a big role in
getting the win.
"Seth Kramer's basket late in the game helped us get over the hump
and Dan Smith really came through with some big baskets.
Those were two guys who stepped up when called upon."
Despite shooting 58.3 percent from the floor during the opening 20
minutes of play, Emory trailed by a 41-39 margin at halftime.
The Tartans built an 11-point cushion, 39-28, with 2:09 left in the
stanza. The Eagles regrouped and closed out the half with an
11-2 run. Sophomore Daniel Curtin got things started with a
three-pointer while Smith hit back-to-back treys. Fernandez
accounted for the other points with a basket with 35 seconds left
that closed out the scoring.
Emory finished the game with a 51.0 percent mark from the floor
(26-of-51) while the Tartans recorded a 40.4 percent effort
(23-of-57). Though it was outrebounded by a 39-29, Emory
connected on 76.2 percent from the charity stripe (32-of-42) while
CMU finished at 69.2 percent (36-of-52). CMU scored its final 14
points from the foul line.
The win raised Emory's home record to 7-1 this year, the best
eight-game home record since 1997-98 when that squad fashioned a
similar slate.
Emory returns to action on Friday, Feb. 1, when it hosts New York
University.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM TOPPLES NO. 1-RANKED ROCHESTER
(Jan. 25) - The Emory University arguably pulled off its biggest
win in school history Friday evening as the Eagles defeated No.
1-ranked Rochester in overtime, 81-76. The victory boosted
Emory's record to 9-6 overall (2-2 in UAA). The loss was the
first setback of the campaign for the Yellowjackets and left
Rochester's mark at 14-1 (3-1 in UAA).
Senior Spiros Ferderigos turned in one of many outstanding efforts
for Emory, tying for game-high honors with 22 points.
Ferderigos scored 16 of those points in the second half and
overtime en route to his fifth effort of 20 or more points this
year. Sophomore Anthony Fernandez sank nine-of-13 from the
floor and finished the contest with a career-high 20 points.
Freshman Julien Williams came through with his first double-double
with 17 points and a game-high12 rebounds. Junior Brian
Giometti rounded out the Emory double-figure scorers with 10
points.
In an entertaining first half, Rochester took a 39-38 lead at the
intermission thanks in part to 14 points from Mike
Chmielowiec. The Yellowjackets shot 51.9 percent from the
floor during the opening 20 minutes while the Eagles weren't far
behind at 48.3 percent. Chmielowiec would lead Rochester in
scoring on the evening with 22 points.
During the early stages of the second half, Rochester led by five
points on two occasions but Emory stayed within striking distance
and finally grabbed a 55-54 lead with 8:40 remaining on the
strength of a Ferderigos layup. From that point, it was Emory
staying ahead and eventually leading by a 64-59 margin with 4:32 on
the clock following a jumper by Fernandez. A pair of charity
tosses by Giometti with 26 ticks on the clock kept Emory ahead by
four points. The Yellowjackets countered with a pair of free
throws with 20 seconds left to narrow the gap to two points.
Following a miss free throw by Emory, a Rochester shot attempt
missed but fell out of bounds with 0.8 seconds left.
Rochester then forced the overtime when Jon Onyiriuka converted a
dramatic alley-oop just as the buzzer sounded.
The Eagles scored the first four points of overtime with baskets
coming from Williams and Fernandez. After Rochester cut the
lead to one, 73-72, Williams sank two more free throws to extend
the lead to three points before a jumper by Chmielowiec once again
cut the Eagles' edge to one point, 75-74, with 1:27 left. A
jumper by Ferderigos followed by a free throw boosted the score to
78-74 with 27 seconds left. From there, Emory held on to earn
the victory.
"We never looked ahead more than one play ahead both on the
offensive and defensive end of the floor," Head Coach Jason
Zimmerman said. "I thought that our team showed great resiliency in
bouncing back and not getting down after Rochester forced overtime
with that alley-oop. In the overtime, we came out and scored
out of the tip which I felt was key. That play allowed us to kind
of catch our breath and swing the momentum back our way.
"We went into the game knowing that we had to defend better than
what we had been and I felt that we made Rochester shoot contested
shots. We also had to keep them off the glass as much as
possible, especially on the offensive end."
For the game, Emory shot 50.9 percent from the field (29-of-57)
while Rochester converted at a 45.8 percent clip (27-of-59).
The Yellowjackets finished with a 37-33 edge in rebounding.
Emory returns to action on Sunday (Jan. 27) when it hosts Carnegie
Mellon in a noon start.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM RETURNS
HOME FOR UAA
CONTESTS
GAME FACTS - The Emory University men's basketball
team continues University Athletic Association play with a pair of
home games this weekend. On Friday (Jan. 25), the Eagles take on
the top-ranked University of Rochester squad before hosting
Carnegie Mellon University on Sunday (Jan. 27). The Woodruff
PE Center on the Emory campus will be the setting for both games
with Friday's action slated for an 8:00 p.m. tip and Sunday's
contest starting at noon.
THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is
first-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson,
'94) Named head coach in April, Zimmerman came to Emory after
serving as an assistant coach at the University of Evansville
(2003-04 through 2006-07). Prior to his stint with the Aces,
Zimmerman was an assistant at Davidson College for seven years
(1996-97 through 2002-03).
Mike Neer (Washington & Lee, '70) is in his
31st season as head coach at Rochester. During his tenure, he has
compiled a won-lost record of 506-292 and directed the
Yellowjackets to a total of 10 NCAA Tournament appearances.
Now in his 18th campaign as head coach at Carnegie Mellon,
Tony Wingen (Springfield College, '82) takes a
school record of 200-235 into a Friday bout against Case Western
Reserve. In 20 campaigns as a head coach, which includes a
two-year stint at the University of the South (1988-89 thru
1989-90), Wingen claims a career mark of 221-263 heading into the
weekend.
2007-08 RECORDS - Emory enters Friday's action
with an overall record of 8-6, including a 1-2 effort in league
play. The Eagles came out on the short end of a pair of
conference road games last weekend, 85-63 to then No. 5-ranked
Washington University, and 91-65 to the University of
Chicago. Emory has compiled a 5-1 won-lost ledger in home
contests this season.
The University of Rochester is ranked as the No. 1 Division III
team in the nation according to d3hoops.com and comes to Atlanta
with a perfect 14-0 ledger, 3-0 in UAA outings. The
Yellowjackets topped NYU, 70-54, last Friday before recording a
74-68 victory over No. 2-ranked Brandeis on Sunday.
Carnegie Mellon heads into the weekend with an overall slate of
10-4, 0-3 in UAA outings. The Tartans dropped a pair of home
games last weekend, 60-48 to Brandeis and 63-58 to New York
University.
SERIES RECORDS - Rochester claims a 26-14
advantage in the series with Emory that began in 1988. The
Yellowjackets have won 11 of the last 12 meetings between the
programs including both of last year's contests, 84-75 at Rochester
and 81-65 at Emory. In games played on the Eagles home court,
each team has won 10 games.
In a series that has its origins in 1987, Emory stands 23-16
against Carnegie Mellon. Last season, the Eagles and Tartans
each came away with a victory with CMU winning on its home floor,
71-70, in overtime and Emory notching a 94-83 decision in
Atlanta. The teams have split the last six meetings.
HOME SWEET HOME - Emory has fashioned a 5-1 home
record so far this year, the program's best six-game start on its
home floor since the 2002-03 campaign when it posted a similar
mark. While it has been outshot from the floor in home games
by their foes (45.8% vs. 44.7%), the Eagles have been solid at the
foul line, converting more from the stripe than opponents have
shot. Emory has knocked down 77.0 percent of its free throw
attempts (157-of-204) while the opposition stands at 68.4 percent
(104-of-152).
LOOKING TO REGAIN THE SHOOTING TOUCH - The Eagles
will be hoping that a return to the Woodruff PE Center will boost
their shooting percentage while proving unkind for the
opposition. In the two road games last week, Emory hit 38.9
percent from the floor (46-118) while the opposition knocked down
52.4 percent (64-of-122). From three-point range, the Eagles
converted just seven-of-33 opportunities (21.2%) vs. 50.9 percent
(26-of-51) for their foes.
FERDERIGOS CONTINUES MARCH - Senior Spiros
Ferderigos (Oldsmar, FL)
enters the weekend with a 10-game double-figure scoring
streak. Ferderigos recorded 17 and 16 points against Wash.
Univ., and Chicago, respectively, last weekend, converting 11-of-19
from the floor, three-of-four from three-point range, and all eight
of his free throw opportunities. Through games played Jan.
20, he paces all UAA players in scoring (18.1 ppg) and has either
led or shared for team scoring honors on eight occasions.
He ranks No. 4 on the conference chart in free throw shooting
(84.0%) and he tops all conference performers in both free throws
(89) and free throw attempts (106). In his last seven
outings, he has converted 57-of-67 from the foul line (85.0
percent). Career-wise, he ranks as the school's
all-time leader in free throws with 438 while his 83.7 percent mark
from the charity stripe (438-of-523) places him in a tie for
third.
In addition his impressive offensive totals, Ferderigos is No. 8 in
the league in rebounding (6.3 rpg) and No. 1 in steals (2.36
spg).
EMORY NOTES - Sophomore Daniel
Curtin (Great Barrington, MA) posted a career-high 19
points in the Washington University game ... Through games
played Jan. 20, Curtin holds down the No. 8 spot in the UAA in
three-point field goal percentage (.433), hitting 26-of-60
opportunities ... Curtin has chalked up seven double-digit scoring
performances this season ... The Eagles have shot 50 percent or
better from the floor in five games this season vs. six times in 25
contests a year ago ... Sophomore Anthony
Fernandez (Miami, FL) came up with a team-high 17 points
vs. Chicago last Sunday, his eighth performance of double figures
this year and the first time he had paced the squad in scoring ...
The 6-foot-3 Fernandez is pulling down a team-best 6.7 rebounds per
game, No. 5 in the UAA ... Emory is averaging 91.6 points in its
eight wins, 66.2 in its six defeats ... Junior John
Kresse (Charleston, SC) dished out six assists, boosting
his season average to 3.86 per game, good for a third-place tie
among UAA players ... In his last three outings, the 6-foot-1
Kresse has 15 assists and five turnovers ... Through games played
Jan. 20, Kresse is tied for seventh in the UAA in assist/turnover
ratio (+1.69) ... Senior Dan Smith (Weston,
FL) stands No. 1 among UAA players in free throw shooting with an
89.4 percent mark (42-of-47) ... In the last eight games dating
from Dec. 6 (vs. Oglethorpe), Smith has drained 23-of-25 from the
charity stripe (92.0 percent) ... The Eagles are averaging a
league-best 19.9 free throws per game and also pace the conference
with 27.6 attempts per contest ... Emory has an 8-1 ledger in games
where it has outrebounded the opposition ... In its eight
victories, the Eagles have outrebounded the opposition by a
42.5-31.4 margin while showing a 41.7-35.3 deficit in their six
setbacks ... Ferderigos has 183 career thefts to his credit,
No. 2 all-time at Emory, and trails only Paul Dam's (1986-90)
No. 1 mark of 197 ... Spiros has at least one steal in every game
this year including 11 contests of two or more ... Ferderigos has
1,430 points, good for the No. 4 spot on the school's all-time list
... Ferderigos has scored in double figures in 74 of 87 career
contests ... The Eagles have players score in double figures on 50
occasions vs. 41 for the opposition.
MASSEY RATINGS HAVE UAA AS TOP DIVISION III
CONFERENCE - The University Athletic Association is the
top-ranked Division III conference in the nation according to the
Massey Ratings. Out of the 406 teams ranked, the UAA has three
teams slated among the top 15 squads (Rochester, #1; Brandeis, #3
& Washington University, #13). Emory is ranked
69th.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL LOSES TO
CHICAGO
(Jan. 20) - The Emory University men's basketball
closed out its initial University Athletic Association road swing
of the season with a 91-65 loss to the University of Chicago on
Sunday afternoon. The win boosted Chicago's record to 9-6
overall (2-1 UAA) while Emory saw its record drop to 8-6 (1-2
UAA).
Sophomore Anthony Fernandez led the Emory effort with 17 points
along with a team-high seven rebounds while senior Spiros
Ferderigos battled his way through foul trouble to record 16 points
and four boards. Fernandez was successful on seven-of-12 from
the field while Ferderigos sank five of his nine attempts from the
floor.
For the second straight game, Emory ran into a hot-shooting foe as
Chicago finished the game by hitting 54.5 percent (30-of-55) of its
field goal attempts compared to the Eagles' 37.5 percent
(24-of-64). The Maroons were dominant from three-point range
as they drained an Emory opponent season-high 15-of-31 from beyond
the arc (48.1 percent) while Emory struggled from distance, hitting
just two of its 17 attempts. Senior Nate Hainje and sophomore
Jake Pancratz highlighted Chicago's scoring attack with 19 points
apiece.
Chicago shot a blistering 53.6 percent from the floor (15-of-28) in
the opening half of play, including 46.7 percent from three-point
range (7-of-15), in taking a 46-25 lead at halftime. Emory
had trouble finding its shooting eye during the opening 20 minutes
of action, connecting on just 33.3 percent from the field
(11-of-33) while failing to convert on nine three-point
opportunities. The Maroons also used enjoyed a 23-14 edge on
the glass. Ferderigos and Fernandez totaled nine and seven
points, respectively, for Emory in the first half. Pancratz
totaled 14 points to pace Chicago's scoring effort.
"Defensively, we gave up too many open looks and allowed shooters
to get comfortable," Emory head coach Jason Zimmerman said. "We
have to do a better job of instigating on defense and not allowing
teams to set up their offense.
"It was a tough road trip this past weekend and as we go through
the remainder of the UAA schedule, we have a lot of work to do to
get better."
Emory returns to action on Friday (Jan. 25) when it plays host to
unbeaten and No. 1-ranked Rochester in an 8:00 p.m. start (EST).
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL
DROPS ROAD DECISION TO NO. 5 WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
(Jan. 18) - The Emory University men's basketball fell victim
to a hot-shooting Washington University team Friday evening, as the
No. 5-ranked Bears recorded an 85-63 win. The win boosted
Washington's record to 11-2 overall (2-0 UAA) while Emory saw its
record slip to 8-5 (1-1 UAA).
Washington used a blistering outside shooting attack during the
opening half of play in taking a 47-28 lead into the locker room at
halftime. The Bears connected on 54.3 percent of their field
goal opportunities (19-of-35) and converted eight-of-11 three-point
field goals. Emory was successful on 34.5 percent from the
floor in the opening 20 minutes and was led by sophomore guard
Daniel Curtin who scored 15 of his career-high 19 points in the
stanza. Curtin concluded the contest knocking down
six-of-eight from the floor including three-of-six three-point
attempts, and all six of his free throw attempts.
In the second half, the host Bears kept the pressure on Emory
with a three-pointer by Washington sophomore Aaron Thompson capping
a 22-5 run to open the half and pushing the Bears' lead to 69-33
with 13:11 remaining. Thompson was a thorn in Emory's side
all evening as he sank eight-of-10 from the floor including
six-of-eight from beyond the arc en route to a game-high 22
points. Washington ended the contest with a 50.7 percent
effort from the floor (34-of-67) including 55 percent from
three-point range (11-of-20). In addition, the Bears finished
with a 41-28 advantage in rebounding as they registered their 23rd
consecutive home win.
Emory senior Spiros Ferderigos was the other Eagle to notch double
digits with 17 points while Anthony Fernandez and Brian Giometti
each totaled nine points along with a team-high tying five
rebounds.
Emory returns to action on Sunday (Jan. 20) when it plays at the
University of Chicago in a 1:00 p.m. start (EST).
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM BATTLES
PAIR OF UAA FOES ON
THE ROAD
(Jan. 15) - GAME FACTS - The Emory University
men's basketball team faces its first University Athletic
Association road swing of the season this weekend. On Friday
(Jan. 18), the Eagles take on nationally ranked Washington
University before meeting the University of Chicago on Sunday (Jan.
20). The WU Field House will be the site of the 41st meeting
between Emory and Washington University and tip is scheduled for
8:00 p.m. (CST). The Ratner Center on the University of
Chicago campus will serve as the setting for the 42nd meeting
between the Eagles and Maroons and that game will begin at noon
(CDT).
THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is
first-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson,
'94) Named head coach in April, Zimmerman came to Emory after
serving as an assistant coach at the University of Evansville
(2003-04 through 2006-07). Prior to his stint with the Aces,
Zimmerman was an assistant at Davidson College for seven years
(1996-97 through 2002-03).
Mark Edwards (Washington University, '69) is in
his 27th season as head coach at Washington University.
During his tenure, he has compiled a won-lost record of 462-229
which includes a 212-66 effort in UAA play. He has guided the
program to nine seasons of 20 or more wins and has 12 NCAA
Tournament appearances to his credit.
Now in his ninth campaign as head coach at the University of
Chicago, Mike McGrath (DePauw, '92) takes a school
and career record of 141-77 into a Jan. 18 contest against Case
Western Reserve. He was tabbed as the 2006-07 UAA Coach of
the Year after guiding the team to an overall record of 20-6 and an
at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
2007-08 RECORDS - Emory enters the weekend with an
overall record of 8-4, including a 1-0 effort in league play.
The Eagles opened the conference portion of their schedule on
Saturday with a 99-92 home win against Case Western. Leading
the Emory scoring attack was senior Spiros Ferderigos and sophomore
Anthony Fernandez, each of whom tallied 19 points.
Washington University, ranked No. 5 in the nation by d3hoos.com,
hosts the Eagles with an overall ledger of 10-2, 1-0 in UAA
affairs. Last weekend, the Bears notched their eighth
straight win when they topped Chicago, 76-50. Washington University
enters Friday's outing having won its last 22 straight home games.
The University of Chicago will entertain Case Western on Friday
with an overall record of 7-5, 0-1 in UAA action. The Maroons
dropped their conference opener last Saturday to Washington
University by a 76-50 margin. Chicago has won six of seven home
games this year heading into the weekend.
SERIES RECORDS - The all-time series between
Emory and Washington University began in 1988 and the Bears hold a
32-8 record against the Eagles. Washington has won the last
three and five of the last seven meetings between the
schools. Last season, the Bears claimed a 78-73 decision in
Atlanta before coming away with a 74-62 victory in Saint
Louis. The Bears stand 18-2 vs. Emory in games played on
their home court.
In a series that has its origins in 1987, Chicago stands 28-13
against Emory. The Maroons have won the last four meetings
including last year's 99-75 (at Emory) and 89-71 outcomes.
Chicago has won the last 13 meetings against Emory played on its
home court while showing an overall slate of 17-4 in home games vs.
the Eagles.
EMORY OFFENSE KEEPS ROLLING ALONG - After seeing
its streak of scoring 70 more points snapped at eight games
following the Guilford contest, the Eagles bounced back with 99
points against Case Western Reserve. It represented the
team's third-highest point total of the campaign was the highest
output for an Emory team in a league opener since Jan. 10, 2004,
when it registered a 105-67 win over CWRU. Through games played
Jan. 13, the Eagles rank No. 2 among UAA teams in scoring (83.5
ppg).
EAGLES BATTLING ON THE BOARDS - Even though it
hasn't possessed the size of the majority of its opponents, Emory
has held its own on the glass this season. Through games
played Jan. 13, the Eagles rank No. 4 among UAA squads in rebound
margin with a +5.7 per-game average. Emory has outrebounded
nine of 12 foes, including four by 10 or more boards. The
Eagles have not been outrebounded by double digits this season.
HOME SWEET HOME - Emory has fashioned a 5-1 home
record so far this year, the program's best six-game start on its
home floor since the 2002-03 campaign when it posted a similar
mark. While it has been outshot from the floor in home games
by their foes (45.8% vs. 44.7%), the Eagles have been solid at the
foul line, converting more from the stripe than opponents have
shot. Emory has knocked down 77.0 percent of its free throw
attempts (157-of-204) while the opposition stands at 68.4 percent
(104-of-152).
FERDERIGOS ON A ROLL - Senior Spiros
Ferderigos (Oldsmar, FL) posted his second straight
double-double when he finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds
against Case Western, becoming the first Emory cager to post
back-to-back doubles since Feb. 11 & 14, 2005, when Chase
Fawsett turned the trick against Washington University and the
University of the South. It marked his third double-double of
the season and sixth of his career.
Ferderigos enters this weekend's action as the team's and UAA's
leading scorer with an 18.3 points per game average.
Ferderigos has scored in double figures in his last eight and in 11
games this year and has either led or shared for the team's scoring
lead in the last four and in a total of eight contests this
year.
A key element in his offensive totals has been the ability to make
the most of his free throw attempts, posting a keen 82.7 percent
(81-of-98) mark from the charity stripe, which places him sixth on
the UAA chart. Both his makes and attempts top all league players
through games played Jan. 13. In his last five outings, he
has converted 49-of-59 from the foul line (83.0 percent). In
his last three performances overall, he is averaging 18.0 points
and 10.3 rebounds.
In addition his impressive offensive totals, Ferderigos is No. 7 in
the league in rebounding (6.8 rpg) and No. 1 in steals (2.50
spg).
EMORY NOTES - Emory shot 52.5 percent from
the floor in the Case Western game, the fifth time this year that
it finished with a mark of 50 percent or better from the field,
last season the Eagles shot 50 percent or better on six occasions
in 25 games ... Emory finished with a season-high seven blocks
against CWRU ... Emory converted 26-of-37 from the foul line
against Case, the fifth consecutive and eighth contest this year of
20 or more makes ... In the last four games, the Eagles are
shooting 71.3 percent from the foul line (107-of-150) ... Emory's
nine three-point field goals in the Case game was the
second-highest total of the campaign while its 42.9 percent mark
from beyond the arc was the third-best showing ... Junior
Brian Giometti (San Diego, CA) posted a
season-high 16 points off the bench against Case, his second
straight and fifth double-figure scoring effort of the season ...
Giometti hit four-of-five from three-point range, his sixth
performance of two or more treys, and is shooting 43.9 percent from
distance, good for the No. 9 spot on the UAA chart ... Sophomore
Anthony Fernandez (Miami, FL) came through with a
career-best 19 points against the Spartans of Case while his eight
boards boosted his season average to 7.2 per-game, good for the top
spot on the team and a tie for fifth among UAA players ...
After seeing his three-point field goal streak snapped at 10
games following the Guilford contest, sophomore Daniel
Curtin (Great Barrington, MA) went four-of-eight from
beyond the arc vs. Case, boosting his season's conversion rate to
44.9 percent (22-of-49), good for the No. 7 spot among UAA
performers ... Curtin has registered seven outings of two or
more treys ... Senior Dan Smith (Weston, FL)
stands No. 2 among UAA players in free throw shooting with an 88.6
percent mark (39-of-44) ... The Eagles are averaging a league-best
20.8 free throws per game and also pace the conference with 28.7
attempts per contest ... Emory has an 8-1 ledger in games where it
has outrebounded the opposition ... In its eight victories, the
Eagles have outrebounded the opposition by a 42.5-31.4 margin while
showing a 43.0-37.8 deficit in their four setbacks ... Junior
John Kresse (Charleston, SC) dished out a
career-best eight assists against Case, raising his team-high
average to 3.92 per game, good for the No. 3 spot in the UAA ...
Kresse also ranks sixth in the league (through Jan. 13) with a 57.8
percent mark from the floor (37-of-64) and is fifth in
assist/turnover ratio (+1.62) ... In Emory's eight victories,
Kresse is shooting 68.2 percent from the floor (30-of-44), 81.8
percent (18-of-22) from the foul line, while averaging 10.3 points
and 4.5 assists ... Ferderigos has 180 career thefts to his
credit, No. 2 all-time at Emory, and trails only Paul Dam's
(1986-90) No. 1 mark of 197 ... Spiros has at least one steal
in every game this year including 10 contests of two or more ...
Ferderigos has 1,397 points, good for the No. 4 spot on the
school's all-time list ... Ferderigos has scored in double figures
in 72 of 85 career contests ... The Eagles have players score in
double figures on 46 occasions vs. 35 for the opposition.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM HOLDS OFF CASE IN UAA OPENER
(Jan. 12) - Emory senior Spiros Ferderigos and sophomore Anthony
Fernandez each totaled 19 points and the Eagles held off a
second-half charge in securing a 99-92 triumph over Case Western
Reserve Saturday afternoon in the University Athletic Association
opener for both teams. The victory boosted Emory's record to 8-4
(1-0 UAA) while Case slipped to 7-5 and 0-1 in the league.
Junior Brian Giometti and sophomore Daniel Curtin played key roles
in the win, combining for 28 points off the bench. Giometti
recorded 16 points, sinking six-of-nine from the floor, including
four-of-five from three-point range, while Curtin knocked down
four-of-eight from beyond the arc en route to a 12-point
afternoon.
The Eagles jumped out the gate quickly, hitting 11 of their first
14 field goal attempts in building a 28-14 lead with 11:46 left in
the first half. Emory eventually extended its lead to 51-34
with 1:46 left in the stanza following a free throw by senior Seth
Kramer. However, the Spartans scored the game's next six
points to narrow the deficit to 51-40 at halftime. Emory sank
56.7 percent from the floor (17-of-30) during the opening 20
minutes of play and was led in scoring by Fernandez and Curtin with
nine points each while Giometti chipped in eight.
A bucket by Ferderigos gave Emory a 65-53 edge with 13:39 remaining
in the contest but Case rattled off eight straight points, key by a
pair of three-point field goals by junior Brad Sutton, to cut
Emory's cushion to 65-61 with 12:00 left. The Eagles
regrouped and used a pair of baskets by junior John Kresse, along
with a pair of charity tosses by Ferderigos, to take a 10-point
lead, 71-61, with 10:35 on the clock. Emory still enjoyed an 82-74
lead before three-pointers by Sutton and Colin Mulholland and a
bucket by Brandon Bradford knotted the game at 82-82 with 4:53
left. Sutton finished with a game-high 26 points while
Mulholland added 16.
Another three-pointer by Mulholland gave the visiting Spartans a
90-89 lead with just 1:43 on the clock but a basket by Fernandez
just six seconds later enabled Emory to take the lead for
good. The Eagles scored their final eight points from the
charity stripe, sinking all eight opportunities, with Ferderigos
accounting for six of those makes.
"In the first half, I thought that we executed well and our
attentio to detail helped us to a good start, Emory Head Coach
Jason Zimmerman said. "In the second half, Case made a great run at
us but to our team's credit we hung in and did not panic. We were
able to made some plays down the stretch and get the win. Really,
this game is a microcosm of UAA play, you have to compete and
battle for all 40 minutes."
For the game, Emory shot 52.5 percent from the floor (32-of-61)
while Case finished with a 50.8 percent effort (32-of-63).
Both squads shot well from three-point range with the Eagles
draining 42.9 percent of their tries (9-of-21) and Case 52.5
percent (12-of-23). Emory posted a slim 35-33 edge in
rebounding and was led in that department by Ferderigos with 13
boards.
Emory returns to action next Friday evening (Jan. 18) when it plays
at Washington University.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL OPENS UAA
PLAY
(Jan. 10) - GAME FACTS - The Emory University
men's basketball team opens its 22nd season of University Athletic
Association play this Saturday (Jan. 12) when it plays host to Case
Western Reserve University. The Woodruff PE Center on the Emory
campus will serve as the site of the 31st meeting between the
programs and tip is slated for noon.
THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is
first-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson,
'94) Named head coach in April, Zimmerman came to Emory after
serving as an assistant coach at the University of Evansville
(2003-04 through 2006-07). Prior to his stint with the Aces,
Zimmerman was an assistant at Davidson College for seven years
(1996-97 through 2002-03).
Sean McDonnell (Boston College, '96) is in his
fifth season as head coach of the Case program. Prior to his
appointment at CWRU, he served as the head coach at Hiram College
for three seasons
2007-08 RECORDS - Emory will take a won-lost
effort of 7-4 into its league opener. The Eagles concluded
the non-conference portion of their schedule by topping Birmingham
Southern, 82-77, on Jan. 2 before coming out on the short end of an
82-67 decision to No. 12-ranked Guilford College last
Saturday. Emory has won four of five home games this
season. Case invades the Woodruff PE Center with a 7-4
mark. In their most recent action, the Spartans played at the
Tampa Bay Shootout (Dec. 29-30) where they lost games to DePauw
University (74-73) and Colby Sawyer (92-80).
SERIES RECORDS - The all-time series, which
started in 1987, is deadlocked at 15 wins apiece. Last year,
the teams split two games with Emory winning in Cleveland by a
76-67 margin and Case claiming an 84-83 overtime decision in
Atlanta. Emory stands 8-6 against the Spartans in games
played on its home floor, though Case has won the last two contests
at the Woodruff PE Center.
EMORY OFFENSE PRODUCTIVE DURING THE NON-CONFERENCE
- While Emory's 82-67 setback to Guilford snapped the team's
eight-game streak of scoring 70 or more points, the Eagles still
rank among the UAA's more proficient scoring teams. Through
games played Jan. 9, Emory holds down the No. 2 spot in the
conference in scoring offense with an 82.1 points per game
average. In NCAA statistics released Jan. 6, Emory is 35th
nationally in scoring offense.
EAGLES BATTLING ON THE BOARDS - Even though it
hasn't possessed the size of the majority of its opponents, Emory
has held its own on the glass this season. Through games
played Jan. 9, the Eagles rank No. 3 among UAA squads in rebound
margin with a +6.0 per-game average. Emory has outrebounded
eight of 11 foes, including four by 10 or more boards. The
Eagles have not been outrebounded by double digits this
season.
FERDERIGOS ON A ROLL - Senior
Spiros Ferderigos (Oldsmar, FL) has been on a roll
and checks into the Case game No. 1 on the team and No. 2 among UAA
players with an 18.3 points per game average. Ferderigos has
scored in double figures in his last seven and in 10 games this
year and is coming off a 17-point, career-high tying 14-rebound
afternoon against Guilford College which represented his second
double-double of the year and fifth of his career.
A key element in his offensive totals has been the ability to make
the most of his free throw attempts, posting a keen 82.1 percent
(69-of-84) mark from the charity stripe, which places him
sixth on the UAA chart. Both his makes and attempts top all league
players through games played Jan. 9. In his last four
outings, he has converted 37-of-45 from the foul line (82.2
percent).
In addition his impressive offensive totals, Ferderigos is No. 8 in
the league in rebounding (6.3 rpg) and No. 1 in steals (2.45
spg).
EMORY NOTES - Senior Dan Smith
(Weston, FL) stands No. 2 among UAA players and is tied for 47th on
the national scene in free throw shooting with an 88.1 percent mark
... Smith's 10-points against Guilford represented his sixth
double-figure scoring effort of the year ... The Eagles are
averaging a league-best 20.3 free throws per game and also pace the
conference with 28 attempts per contest ... Sophomore Brian
Giometti gave the Eagles a boost off the bench in the
Guilford game with 14 points, his second-highest total of the
campaign and fourth double-figure effort of the year ... Giometti
has five games of two or more three-point field goals ... Sophomore
Daniel Curtin (Great Barrington, MA) saw his
streak of three-point field goals snapped at 10 games in the
Guilford contest ... Despite not having a trey, Curtin holds down
the No. 7 position in the UAA with a 43.9 percent (18-of-41)
showing from distance ... Emory has a 7-1 ledger in games where it
has outrebounded the opposition ... In its seven victories, the
Eagles have outrebounded the opposition by a 43.6-31.1 margin while
showing a 43.0-37.8 deficit in their four setbacks ... Freshman
Julien Williams (Potomac, MD) picked up 10 points
against Guilford, his fourth double-digit showing of the season ...
Williams is averaging 13.2 points over his last five games ...
Junior John Kresse (Charleston, SC) owns a
team-high 56.9 percent mark from the floor (33-of-58) and stands
seventh in the UAA ... Kresse also paces the club in assists with a
3.55 per-game effort, good for No. 5 among conference performers
... In Emory's seven victories, Kresse is shooting 68.4 percent
from the floor (26-of-38), 85.0 percent (17-of-20) from the foul
line, while averaging 10.4 points and 4.0 assists ...
Ferderigos has 177 career thefts to his credit and moved into
the No. 2 position on the school's all-time list in the Guilford
game following his four steals ... Ferderigos trails only Paul
Dam's (1986-90) No. 1 mark of 197 ... Spiros has at least one
steal in every game this year including nine contests of two or
more ... Sophomore Anthony Fernandez (Miami, FL)
is pulling down a team-best 7.1 rebounds per game, good for the No.
6 spot on the UAA chart ... Ferderigos has 1,378 points, good for
the No. 4 spot on the school's all-time list ... Ferderigos has
scored in double figures in 71 of 84 career contests ... The Eagles
have players score in double figures on 42 occasions vs. 31 for the
opposition.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM FALLS TO No.
12-RANKED GUILFORD
(Jan. 5) - The Emory University men's basketball team saw
its six-game winning streak come to an end Saturday afternoon at
the Woodruff PE Center as the No. 12-ranked Quakers of Guilford
College registered an 82-67 win. The loss dropped Emory's
record to 7-4 while Guilford raised its won-lost slate to 6-2.
Emory had trouble finding the basket early, connecting on just four
of its first 27 field goal opportunities as Guilford built a 33-13
lead with 6:23 left in the first half. However, Emory was
able to claw its way back into the game as it closed out the stanza
on a 19-9 spurt that was keyed by seven points apiece from junior
Brian Giometti and senior Spiros Ferderigos. Ferderigos
finished the contest with team highs in both points with 17 and 14
rebounds while Giometti registered 14 points, his fourth
double-figure scoring performance of the campaign.
The Eagles continued to put the pressure on the Quakers and drew to
within seven points, 51-44, with 13:48 remaining following a pair
of free throws by Ferderigos. However, Guilford countered Emory's
comeback bid by going on a 10-1 run that boosted its advantage to
61-45 with 11:19 on the clock. From that point, the closest Emory
would get would be 13 points.
Emory concluded the game shooting just 23.5 percent from the floor
while the visitors from Guilford hit on 45.2 percent of its
opportunities. The Eagles were also hampered by cold shooting
from the foul line, converting 31-of-50 with the attempts total
representing the second-highest single-game mark in school
history.
Leading Guilford with 28 points and 15 rebounds was 6-foot-11
senior center Ben Strong, the 2006-07 Division III Player of the
Year.
Emory returns to action next Saturday (Jan. 12) when it opens
University Athletic Association play with a home contest against
Case Western Reserve starting at noon.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM EDGES
BIRMINGHAM SOUTHERN - NOTCHES SIXTH-STRAIGHT WIN
(Jan. 2) -- Emory senior Spiros Ferderigos totaled 18 points to
lead a balanced scoring attack as the Eagles topped Birmingham
Southern, 82-77, Wednesday evening in a game played at the Woodruff
PE Center. The victory was Emory's sixth straight and raised
the team's record to 7-3. With the loss, Birmingham Southern
slipped to 6-4.
Emory got out of the blocks quickly, racing out to a 12-0 lead just
three minutes and thirty seconds into the game. The Eagles built a
14-point margin with 12:29 left in the stanza when a three-point
field goal by sophomore Daniel Curtin gave the home team a 24-10
advantage. Trailing by a 28-16 count with 11:24 left in the
half, the Panthers mounted a determined 22-4 run to take a 38-32
lead into halftime. Birmingham Southern converted four treys
in that burst while finishing the opening 20 minutes of action with
seven three pointers.
Emory trailed, 52-50, with 12:31 remaining in the contest before
posting a 12-0 run, with five points coming from sophomore Anthony
Fernandez, to take a 62-52 lead with 10:21 left on the
clock. Fernandez finished the contest with 15 points,
his fourth straight and sixth double-figure scoring performance of
the campaign.
BSC chipped away and cut the deficit to one point, 78-77, with 13
seconds left on the strength of jumper by Daniel Hudson. However,
Emory closed out the contest by sinking four straight free throws,
two by Ferderigos and two by Curtin, to seal the outcome.
"We started out aggressive at both ends of the floor but then hit a
stretch where we missed some shots and subsequently were not as
effective in paying attention to detail on the defensive end as we
would like to be," Emory head coach Jason Zimmerman said. "In the
second half, we got back to defending better which helped lead us
to getting some easier shots that we were able to knock down.
Overall, it was a good win because we had to overcome some
obstacles to earn it."
Curtin and junior John Kresse rounded out Emory's double-figure
scorers with 14 and 12 points, respectively. Birmingham
Southern shot 52.6 percent from the floor (30-of-57) while Emory
finished with a 47.4 percent mark (27-of-57). Emory held a
36-26 edge on the glass with senior Seth Kramer leading the Eagles
with six boards.
Emory's six-game win streak is the longest for the program the
2002-03 season when that club recorded seven consecutive victories
to open the season. The Eagles' 7-3 mark represents the best
10-game start for the program since 2004-05 (8-2).
Emory's next action takes place on Saturday (Jan. 5) when it plays
host to No. 12-ranked Guilford in a 3:00 p.m. tip.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TO HOST
BIRMINGHAM SOUTHERN AND
GUILFORD
(Jan. 1) - GAME FACTS - After breaking for finals
and the holidays, the Emory University men's basketball team gears
up for a pair of home games this week. On Wednesday (Jan. 2)
the Eagles will tangle with Birmingham Southern in a 7:00 p.m.
start before playing host to nationally ranked Guilford College on
Saturday (Jan. 5) beginning at 3:00 p.m.
THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is
first-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson,
'94) Named head coach in April, Zimmerman came to Emory after
serving as an assistant coach at the University of Evansville
(2003-04 through 2006-07). Prior to his stint with the Aces,
Zimmerman was an assistant at Davidson College for seven years
(1996-97 through 2002-03).
Mitch Cole (Montana State, '92) was named BSC's
12th-ever head coach in July of 2006. Prior to his appointment, he
had served on the BSC staff as an assistant for 11 seasons.
In his fifth year as head coach of Guilford College is Tom
Palombo (Virginia Wesleyan, '89). During his tenure
with the Quakers, he has compiled a 71-44 won-lost mark which
includes a 24-5 ledger last season. In 11 seasons as a head
coach, which includes a six-year stint at Defiance College, Palombo
has a career record of 171-107.
2007-08 RECORDS - Emory checks into 2008 with a
6-3 record. The Eagles have won their last five outings and
posted a 106-89 win over Oglethorpe in their last outing which took
place on Dec. 15. The five-game win streak is Emory's longest
since the 2004-05 squad opened its season with five straight
victories. The Eagles are 3-0 on its home floor this
season.
Birmingham Southern comes to town with a 6-3 record. The
Panthers enjoyed a successful return from the holidays with a 71-67
home triumph against Huntingdon College on Dec. 29.
Guilford College, ranked No. 6 in the nation by d3hoops.com, takes
a 4-2 slate into a Jan. 2 Averett University. The Quakers
came out on the short end of a 64-62 verdict to Shenandoah on Dec.
17.
SERIES RECORDS - Emory's outings against
both Birmingham Southern and Guilford will represent the first-ever
meetings in basketball.
EMORY OFFENSE ON THE GO - Emory has been
proficient at putting points up on the board this season and the
Eagles' 106-point outburst vs. Oglethorpe on Dec. 15 represented
the second straight game that an Emory team had either reached or
surpassed the century mark in 100 points, the first time that has
been achieved by the Eagles since Nov. 25 & Dec. 1, 1989.
OFFENSIVE FOLLOW-UP - Through games played Dec.
30, Emory holds down the No. 1 spot among University Athletic
Association teams in scoring offense, averaging 83.8 points per
contest. The Eagles have accounted for two of the three
100-point games by league teams this season.
The Eagles have scored 85 or more points in each of its last five
games, the first time that an Emory squad has achieved that since
the 1989-90 season when it posted a 12-game streak of 85-plus
points en route to a 25-4 overall record.
EAGLES ZERO IN AT THE FOUL LINE - Timely free
throw shooting has been a prominent factor throughout the season
for the Eagles with the squad pacing all UAA teams with a 75
percent (171-of-228) showing from the charity stripe. In the
club's last outing, Emory connected on 84.8 percent of its foul
shooting opportunities, hitting a season-high tying 28-of-33.
The Eagles have sank 80 percent or better of their free throw tries
on five occasions this year. In NCAA statistics released Dec.
16, Emory was tied for the No. 34 spot nationally in free throw
shooting.
EMORY NOTES - During its five-game winning streak
Emory has outscored the opposition by a 95.2-77.2 per-game margin
and is shooting a solid 50.6 percent (166-of-328) from the floor
vs. 40.9 percent for the opposition (134-of-328) ... Emory is
averaging 39.2 first-half points vs. 35.2 for its foes while
tossing in 44.6 points in the second half compared to the
opposition's average of 41.4 ... Emory has outrebounded seven
opponents this year and stands 6-1 in those contests ... During its
five-game winning streak, Emory shows a decisive 46.4-32.8 per-game
edge in rebounding ... Senior Spiros Ferderigos
(Oldsmar, FL) led Emory in scoring against Oglethorpe with a
season-high 32 points, the sixth time this year that he had either
led or shared for the team's scoring lead ... Ferderigos
leads Emory and ranks No. 2 among UAA players (through Dec. 30)
with an 18.4 points per game average ... Ferderigos, who leads both
the team and UAA in steals (2.33 spg), has 171 career thefts to his
credit and holds down the No. 3 position on the school's all-time
list, just four shy of tying the No. 2 mark of 175 held by Paul
Schuliger (1987-91) ... Spiros has at least one steal in every game
this year ... Sophomore Anthony Fernandez (Miami,
FL) pulled down a team-high tying 12 rebounds in the Oglethorpe
game, his third effort of double-digit rebounding this season ...
The 6-foot-3 Fernandez is pulling down a team-best 8.0 rebounds per
game, good for the No. 2 position on the UAA chart .. Sophomore
Daniel Curtin (Great Barrington, MA) has at least
one three-point field goal in all nine games and is shooting 51.7
percent (15-of-29) from distance, good for the No. 4 position among
all UAA players ... Ferderigos has 1,403 points, good for the No. 4
spot on the school's all-time list ... Ferderigos has scored in
double figures in 69 of 82 career contests ... The Eagles have
players score in double figures on 34 occasions vs. 25 for the
opposition.
EMORY'S SPIROS FERDERIGOS NAMED UAA BASKETBALL CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK
(Dec. 18) - Emory University senior guard Spiros Ferderigos (Oldsmar, FL) has been selected by the University Athletic Association as Basketball Co-Player of the Week following his performance in an Eagles' win against crosstown rival Oglethorpe University. He shares the honor with Troy Ruths of Washington University. It marks the fourth time in his career that he has been tabbed for the honor.
Ferderigos paced the Eagles with a season-high 32 points, 12
rebounds and nine assists in the 106-89 victory over Oglethorpe on
Saturday (Dec. 15). Ferderigos sank eight-of-14 from the
floor, including three-of-four from three-point range, and 13-of-16
from the foul line en route to his fourth career contest of 30 or
more points. Ferderigos came up with 20 points during the
second half of play in helping the squad to its fifth straight win,
the longest streak for an Emory team since the 2004-05 squad opened
that season with five straight triumphs. In addition to those
impressive totals, Ferderigos chalked up team highs with three
blocks and two steals.
Through nine games, the 6-foot-1 Ferderigos paces the team and
holds down the No. 2 position among UAA players in scoring (18.4
ppg) and claims the top spot in the conference in steals
(2.33).
Emory, 6-3 on the year, returns to action on Jan. 2 when it hosts
Birmingham Southern in a 7:00 p.m. start.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM TOPS OGLETHORPE TO EARN FIFTH STRAIGHT WIN
(Dec. 15) -- Emory senior Spiros Ferderigos totaled a season-high 32 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists and the Eagles had six players score in double figures Saturday evening in a 106-89 win over Oglethorpe University. The win was Emory's fifth straight and raised the team's record to 6-3. With the loss, Oglethorpe slipped to 5-3.
Emory scored the game's first 10 points and hit seven of its
first 11 shots from the floor while holding the Stormy Petrels to
just one make in their first eight attempts en route to a 16-2
cushion. After the Oglethorpe rattled off seven unanswered
points, the Eagles responded with a 12-0 surge to go up by a 28-9
count. Emory would build a pair of 29-point leads before
going into the locker room at the half with a 49-23
advantage. The Eagle shot 50 percent (18-of-26) from the
floor during the opening 20 minutes while Oglethorpe struggled,
converting just 27.3 percent (9-of-33).
Ferderigos accounted for 20 of his points during the second half of
action including a pair of three-pointers within a 40-second span
that played a key role in a 10-0 Emory run that pushed its lead to
30 points, 71-41, with 14:37 left on the clock. Ferderigos
finished the contest sinking eight-of-14 from the floor, including
three-of-four from three-point range, and 13-of-16 from the foul
line. Freshman Julien Williams turned in a big second half,
posting 14 of his 16 points which represented his third consecutive
scoring contest. Sophomore Anthony Fernandez hit six-of-12
from the floor and registered 13 points while tying his career high
with 12 rebounds. Emory enjoyed a 49-32 edge on the
glass.
Emory held a 22-point margin with 8:48 remaining before an
Oglethorpe flurry drew it to within 10 points on two occasions, the
final time with 1:42 left. The Eagles then closed out the contest
by hitting their final eight free throws as part of a 10-3 run that
closed out the game's scoring. For the game, Emory shot 51.5
percent from the floor (34-of-66), its third straight and fourth
performance of the season of shooting 50 percent or better.
Also chalking up double-figure scoring was junior John Kresse with
12 points (six assists), sophomore Daniel Curtin with 11 points and
Brian Giometti with 10.
The five-game win streak is Emory's longest since the 2004-05 squad
opened its season with five straight victories. The 106
points scored against Oglethorpe was the second straight game that
the Eagles had either reached or surpassed the century mark in 100
points, the first time that has been achieved by an Emory team
since Nov. 25 & Dec. 1, 1989.
Emory returns to action on Jan. 2 when it hosts Birmingham
Southern.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL SQUAD CLOSES OUT
2007 WITH HOME
GAME vs. OGLETHORPE
(Dec. 13) -- GAME FACTS - The Emory University
men's basketball team closes out the 2007 portion of its schedule
on Saturday (Dec. 15) when it plays host to Oglethorpe
University.
The Woodruff PE Center on the Emory campus will serve as the site
of the 43rd meeting between the Eagles and Stormy Petrels and tip
is slated for 7:00 p.m.
THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is
first-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson,
'94) Named head coach in April, Zimmerman came to Emory after
serving as an assistant coach at the University of Evansville
(2003-04 through 2006-07). Prior to his stint with the Aces,
Zimmerman was an assistant at Davidson College for seven years
(1996-97 through 2002-03).
Philip Ponder is in his fifth season as head coach
at Oglethorpe. Last year, Ponder directed the program to a won-lost
effort of 14-12, the best record by an Oglethorpe squad in eight
years.
2007-08 RECORDS - Emory hosts Oglethorpe with a
5-3 record. The Eagles have won their last four outings and
are coming off a 100-89 win at home against Maryville College last
Saturday. In that game, senior Spiros
Ferderigos (Oldsmar, FL) and freshman Julien
Williams (Potomac, MD) each totaled 18 points to lead the
Eagles' scoring attack while Williams also snagged a team-high
eight rebounds. Emory is 2-0 on its home floor this
season.
Oglethorpe makes the short cross-town trip to Emory the owners of a
5-2 won-lost mark. The Stormy Petrels have won their last two
outings including an 85-71 decision against Huntingdon College on
Monday.
SERIES RECORDS - Oglethorpe holds a 23-19
edge in the series with Emory that saw the first game played in
1987. The teams have met once already this season (Dec. 6),
with the Eagles coming away with an 89-52 triumph. Ferderigos
paced four Emory double-figure scorers with 17 points while
Williams posted a team-best seven rebounds. Emory holds a
13-7 advantage against Oglethorpe in contests played on its home
court.
EMORY OFFENSE CLICKING - During its four-game
winning streak Emory has outscored the opposition by a 92.5-74.2
per-game margin. The Eagles are averaging 81.1 points per
outing through eight contests and hold down the No. 2 position
among UAA squads in scoring offense (through games played Dec.
11).
Emory is shooting 50.3 percent (132-of-262) from the field over the
last four games vs. the opposition's mark of 41.4 percent
(107-of-258).
The Eagles have scored 85 or more points in each of its last four
games, the first time that an Emory squad has achieved that since
the 1989-90 season when it posted a 12-game streak of 85-plus
points en route to a 25-4 overall record.
EAGLES ZERO IN AT THE FOUL LINE - Free throw
shooting played a key role in the Eagles' win over Maryville
College with the squad knocking down a season-high 28-of-30 from
the charity stripe. The squad's 93.3 percentage from the
charity stripe tied for the fourth-highest single-game mark in
school history. Through eight games, Emory has shot 90
percent or better from the foul line on three occasions and
currently ranks No. 1 among UAA teams with a 73.1 percent success
rate from the line.
EMORY NOTES - Ferderigos has
either led or shared for the team scoring lead in five contests and
claims three contests of 20 or more points ... Ferderigos paces the
team with a 16.8 points per-game scoring average, good for the No.
3 position among UAA players through games played Dec. 11 ...
Ferderigos, who leads both the team and UAA in steals (2.38 spg),
has 169 career thefts to his credit and holds down the No. 3
position on the school's all-time list, just six shy of tying the
No. 2 mark of 175 held by Paul Schuliger (1987-91) ... Spiros has
at least one steal in every game this year ... Julien
Williams' team-best eight boards against Maryville
represented the third time this season that he had either led or
shared for the team high in that category ... Emory has
outrebounded six opponents this year and stands 5-1 in those
contests ... During its four-game winning streak, Emory shows a
decisive 45.8-33.0 per-game edge in rebounding ... Sophomore
Anthony Fernandez (Miami, FL) enjoyed a pair of
productive scoring games last week, notching 16 points in the win
against Oglethorpe before totaling 15 vs. Maryville ... In the two
games, the 6-foot-3 Fernandez connected on 59.1 percent of his
field goal attempts (13-of-22) and five-of-eight from the foul line
... Fernandez continues to lead the team in rebounding with a 7.4
per-game average, good for the No. 5 spot on the UAA chart ...
Senior Dan Smith (Weston, FL) has scored in double
figures in his last three games and is averaging 12.0 points per
game in that stretch ... Smith has five double-figure scoring games
to his credit, second on the team to Ferderigos who checks in with
seven ... Sophomore Daniel Curtin (Great
Barrington, MA) has at least one three-point field goal in all
eight games and is shooting 52.0 percent (13-of-25) from distance,
good for the No. 4 position among all UAA players ... Emory is
averaging 38.0 first-half points vs. 36.8 for its foes while
tossing in 43.0 points in the second half compared to the
opposition's average of 38.4 ... Ferderigos checks into the
Oglethorpe game with 1,371 points, good for the No. 4 spot on the
school's all-time list ... Ferderigos has scored in double figures
in 68 of 81 career contests ... During its four-game winning
streak, Emory reserves have averaged 34.2 points per contest.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM
CAPTURES SHOOTOUT vs. MARYVILLE
(Dec. 8) - Emory senior Spiros Ferderigos scored all 18 of
his points in the second half and the Eagles received double-figure
scoring from five players in recording an exciting 100-89 win
against Maryville College on Saturday afternoon. The win was
Emory's fourth consecutive triumph and raised its record to
5-3. Maryville suffered its first loss of the year and now
stands 5-1.
Ferderigos was limited to just six minutes in the first half after
picking up two fouls. He roared back in the second half,
hitting five-of-eight from the floor and all seven of his free
throw opportunities. Aiding in the win was freshman Julien
Williams with a season-high 18 points and sophomore Anthony
Fernandez with 15 points. Junior John Kresse added 14 points
and dished out five assists.
With the game tied at 77-77, Williams converted an acrobatic shot
and converted a subsequent foul shot that gave the Eagles a
three-point advantage with 4:29 remaining on the clock. That keyed
a 14-6 run, with seven of those points coming from Ferderigos, as
the Eagles claimed a 91-83 advantage with 2:26 left on the
clock. After the Scots closed the gap to five points, the
Eagles rattled off a 9-3 spurt that closed out the game's
scoring.
For the game, Emory shot 54.1 percent from the floor (33-of-61)
while Maryville finished with a 40.0 percent effort (30-of-75).
Both squads were on fire from the floor in the second half with the
Eagles connecting at a 52.8 percent clip and Maryville a 54.3
percent effort. Emory finished with a 44-35 advantage in
rebounding and were led in that department by Williams and senior
Seth Kramer, both of whom snatched eight boards.
Emory led by a 16-point margin, 39-23, with 4:02 left in the first
half before Maryville rallied to close the gap at 43-37 at
halftime. Williams helped pick up the slack left by
Ferderigos' absence with 11 first-half points.
Emory's 100 points marked the first time that it reached the
century mark in regulation since Feb. 26, 2005, in 102-75 win over
Case Western.
Emory returns to action next Saturday evening (Dec. 15) when it
hosts Oglethorpe in a 7:00 p.m. tip.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL RACES BY
OGLETHORPE
(Dec. 6) - Senior Spiros Ferderigos paced a balanced scoring attack
with 17 points, while dishing out seven assists, and the Eagles
turned in another impressive offensive display Thursday evening in
an 89-52 triumph at Oglethorpe University. The win boosted
Emory's record to 4-3 while Oglethorpe slipped to 3-2.
The Eagles had four players finish with double-digit point
production and concluded the contest with a 50 percent mark
(33-of-66) from the field. While Emory was executing on the
offensive end of the floor, its defensive play was solid as it
limited the Stormy Petrels to just 31.1 percent (19-of-61) of their
field goal attempts. The Eagles also enjoyed a hefty 49-31
edge on the glass and were led in that department by freshman
Julien Williams with seven boards.
In addition to Ferderigos, sophomore Anthony Fernandez converted
seven-of-10 from the floor en route to a career-high 16 points.
Williams and senior Dan Smith each registered 14 points.
In the first half, Emory held a 18-14 advantage before holding the
hosts scoreless for over four minutes and scoring the game's next
12 points to take a 30-14 lead with 9:10 remaining. After
Oglethorpe sliced the gap to seven points, 32-25, with 4:03 on the
clock, the Eagles responded with a 12-3 burst to close out the
half, the last seven coming by Smith in the final 1:16 of the
stanza, in taking a 44-28 cushion at halftime.
Oglethorpe stayed within striking distance and trailed by 10
points, 48-38, early in the second half before Emory silenced the
comeback bid with an impressive 18-2 barrage, with five different
players figuring in the run, to up the score to 66-40 with a little
more than 10 minutes remaining.
Emory returns to action on Saturday (Dec 8) when it hosts Maryville
College in a 4:00 p.m. start.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL SQUAD BATTLES OGLETHORPE ON
THE
ROAD BEFORE HOSTING MARYVILLE
(Dec. 4) - GAME FACTS - Looking to extend its
two-game win streak, the 2007-08 men's basketball team plays at
Oglethorpe University on Thursday (Dec. 6) before returning home
for a Saturday (Dec. 8) tilt against Maryville College.
The Dorough Field House on the Oglethorpe campus will be the site
of the 42nd meeting between the Stormy Petrels and Eagles and tip
is slated for 8:00 p.m. The Woodruff PE Center on the Emory
campus serves as the setting for the 19th meeting between the Scots
and Eagles with the contest slated for a 4:00 p.m. start.
THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is
first-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson,
'94) Named head coach in April, Zimmerman came to Emory after
serving as an assistant coach at the University of Evansville
(2003-04 through 2006-07). Prior to his stint with the Aces,
Zimmerman was an assistant at Davidson College for seven years
(1996-97 through 2002-03).
Phillip Ponder is in his fifth season as head
coach at Oglethorpe. Last year, Ponder directed the program to a
won-lost effort of 14-12, the best record by an Oglethorpe squad in
eight years. During his tenure, Oglethorpe has manufactured a
33-18 record in games played on its home court.
Randy Lambert (Maryville, ‘76) is in his
28th season as head coach at Maryville. During his tenure, Lambert
has compiled a school and career record of 505-222 and ranks 11th
in the nation among active Division III coaches in victories.
2007-08 RECORDS - Emory enters the Oglethorpe
contest with a 3-3 record. The Eagles have won their last two
outings including a 92-84 verdict at Huntingdon College on
Saturday, a game that represented a season high in point
production. Senior Spiros Ferderigos
(Oldsmar, FL) paced the Emory scoring attack with 21 points while
freshman Julien Williams (Potomac, MD) and
sophomore Anthony Fernandez (Miami, FL) helped the
visitors to a 58-43 edge on the glass with 14 and 10 rebounds,
respectively.
Oglethorpe also enjoys a two-game winning streak and will welcome
Emory with a 3-1 record. In their most recent performance the
Stormy Petrels topped Rhodes, 92-71.
Heading into a December 4 home game vs. Carson Newman, Maryville
stood 4-0. The Scots played at Rust College last Saturday and
came away with a 98-45 triumph.
SERIES RECORDS - Oglethorpe holds a 23-18
edge in the series with Emory that saw the first game played in
1987. Each club recorded a win on its home court last season
with Emory posting a 77-73 triumph at the Woodruff PE Center and
Oglethorpe a 90-73 decision at Dorough. The Stormy Petrels
have won three of the last four encounters.
In a series that started in 1990, Maryville stands 13-5 all-time
vs. Emory. Maryville hosted Emory earlier this year (Nov. 24)
and emerged with a hard-fought 72-72 victory. Each team has
won four games on Emory's home court
EMORY NOTES - Julien Williams' 14 rebounds against
Huntingdon stands as the high-water mark by an Emory player this
season and was the third time this season that an Emory player
finished with 10 or more boards in a game ... Emory sank a
season-high 25 free throws in the Huntingdon contest, the third
outing this year of 20 or more makes from the charity stripe ...
The Eagles pulled down 58 rebounds against Huntingdon, tying the
seventh-highest single-game mark in school history ... Spiros
Ferderigos, who leads both the team and UAA in steals (2.50 spg),
has 165 career thefts to his credit and holds down the No. 3
position on the school's all-time list ... Sophomore Daniel
Curtin (Great Barrington, MA) has at least one three-point
field goal in all six games and is shooting 45.5 percent from
distance, good for the No. 9 position among all UAA players ...
Curtin's 10 points against Huntingdon represented his third
double-figure scoring effort of the season ... Junior Brian
Giometti came off the bench and totaled a season-high 15
points against Huntingdon, his second double-figure scoring
performance of the campaign ... Giometti has three-point field
goals in his last five outings and is shooting 42.9 percent
(9-of-21) from beyond the arc, good for the No. 12 spot in the UAA
... Senior Seth Kramer (Winter Park, FL) has made
the most of his shooting opportunities and paces all UAA players
with a 73.1 percent mark (19-of-26) from the floor ... Kramer sank
four-of-five in the Huntingdon outing and also tied his season high
with seven rebounds ... Emory has been outscored by a 38.2-36.0
margin in the first half while showing a 40.5-38.5 advantage in the
second half ... Ferderigos checks into the Oglethorpe game with
1,336 points, good for the No. 4 spot on the school's all-time list
... Ferderigos has scored in double figures in 66 of 79 career
contests ... Anthony Fernandez is pulling down and average of 8.6
rebounds per contest, tops on the club and No. 3 among UAA players.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL DEFEATS
HUNTINGDON
(Dec. 1) - Emory senior Spiros Federigos scored 15
of his team-high 21 points in the second half and junior Brian
Giometti came off the bench to add 15 points as the Eagles posted a
92-84 win at Huntingdon College Saturday afternoon. The win evened
the Eagles record at 3-3 while Huntingdon fell to 2-4.
Emory ended the game shooting 43.5 percent from the floor
(30-of-69) while Huntingdon connected on 40.6 percent
(28-of-69). The Eagles held a huge 58-43 edge on the glass
and were led in the department by freshman Julien Williams and
sophomore Anthony Fernandez with 14 and 10 boards,
respectively.
Holding a 50-40 lead with 16:34 left in the game, Emory went
on a 15-3 run over the next four minutes to sprint to a 65-43
advantage. Keying the spurt was Ferderigos with six points
and three points apiece by Fernandez and Giometti. Giometti hit
six-of-nine from the floor in the contest, including three-of-five
from three-point range.
Emory will play at Oglethorpe on Thursday evening in an 8:00 p.m.
tip.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM CONTINUES ROAD
TRAVELS WITH
CONTEST AT HUNTINGDON
(Nov. 28) - GAME FACTS - The 2007-08 men's
basketball team opens the month of December this Saturday (Dec. 1)
with a road date at Huntingdon College. The Catherine Roland
Dixon Arena on the Huntingdon campus will be the site of the
fifth-ever meeting between the Eagles and Hawks and tip is slated
for 4:00 p.m.
There will be an audio and video webcast of the Emory-Huntingdon
contest. The address is
THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is
first-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson,
'94.) Named head coach in April, Zimmerman came to Emory
after serving as an assistant coach at the University of Evansville
(2003-04 through 2006-07). Prior to his stint with the Aces,
Zimmerman was an assistant at Davidson College for seven years
(1996-97 through 2002-03).
Mike Pugh is in his first season as head coach at
Huntingdon. Pugh joined the Huntingdon athletic department after
spending the previous seven seasons as the boy's basketball coach
at Opelika (AL) High School. Prior to his stint at Opelika,
Pugh spent seven seasons at Enterprise State Junior College where
he compiled a won-lost record of 110-76.
2007-08 RECORDS - Emory enters the Huntingdon
contest with a 2-3 record. The Eagles split a pair of games
at the Maryville College Thanksgiving Classic last weekend,
dropping a hard-fought 75-72 decision to Maryville in their opener
before bouncing back to claim a decisive 89-72 triumph over
LaGrange. Emory has played four of its five games in road or
neutral settings.
Huntingdon hosts Emory with a record of 2-3. The Hawks played
at Atlanta Christian on Tuesday and came away with a 76-73
victory.
SERIES RECORDS - Emory has won all four
meetings in the series that started in 1997. Saturday's
affair will represent the first meeting since Feb. 21, 1999, when
Emory recorded a 79-68 victory.
EMORY NOTES - Emory shot a season-high 54.5
percent (36-of-66) against LaGrange, the team's first performance
of 50 percent or better this season and the highest mark since Dec.
6, 2006, when the Eagles hit 54.7 percent (35-of-64) in a 91-62 win
over the University of the South ... Emory's 36 field goals against
LaGrange represented a season-high and was the highest total for a
regulation game since Nov. 29, 2005, when the Eagles converted 36
against South ... The Eagles were deadly from distance against the
Panthers, hitting a season-best 57.1 percent (8-of-14) from beyond
the arc, the highest percentage since Feb. 13, 2005, when the
Eagles went 8-of-11 against Carnegie Mellon ... Senior Dan
Smith (Weston, FL) totaled a career-high 20 points against
Maryville while classmate Seth Kramer (Winter
Park, FL) posted a career-best 18 points the following day against
LaGrange ... Sophomore Daniel Curtin (Great
Barrington, MA) has at least one three-point field goal in all five
games and is shooting 45.0 percent from distance, good for the No.
12 position among all UAA players ... The Eagles were credited with
16 steals in the LaGrange game, the highest total by an Emory squad
since March 1, 2003, when it registered 17 thefts ... Senior
Spiros Ferderigos (Oldsmar, FL) cracked the 1,300
career-point plateau last weekend and checks into the Huntingdon
game with 1,315 points, good for the No. 4 spot on the school's
all-time list ... Ferderigos has scored in double figures in 65 of
78 career contests ... Through games played Nov. 25, the Eagles are
shooting 75.8 percent from the foul line, good for the No. 2
position among UAA teams ... Sophomore Anthony
Fernandez (Miami, FL) is averaging a team-high 8.3
rebounds per game, good for the No. 5 position on the UAA chart ...
Dan Smith has hit 19-of-20 from the foul line and his 95.0 percent
mark places him second among UAA cagers.
ON THE HORIZON - Following its trip to Montgomery
on Saturday, the Eagles will play at cross town rival Oglethorpe
University on Thursday, Dec. 6, in an 8:00 p.m. start.
Emory's next home game will be on Saturday, Dec. 8, when it battles
Maryville in a 4:00 p.m. tip.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM RACES BY
LaGRANGE COLLEGE
(Nov. 25) - Emory senior Seth Kramer scored a career-high 18 points
while classmate Spiros Ferderigos added 17 along with a team-high
six rebounds in helping the Eagles to a convincing 89-72 win over
LaGrange College Sunday afternoon in the Maryville College
Thanksgiving Classic. The win upped Emory's record to 2-3
while LaGrange slipped to 1-4.
Kramer connected on eight-of-12 field goal attempts while
Ferderigos hit on seven-of-nine. The pair helped the Eagles
shoot a season-high 54.5 percent from the field (36-of-66).
Junior John Kresse totaled 12 points and dished out five assists
while Brian Giometti totaled eight points and six assists.
Emory was sharp from long range, hitting on 57.1 percent (8-of-14)
from three-point range, while converting nine-of-10 from the
charity stripe.
"With this being our fifth game in eight days, I felt that we did a
good job in preparing to play and came out with a great deal of
energy in the first half," Head Coach Jason Zimmerman said.
"This stretch will help us down the road in UAA play and we tried
to use today's game as much as we could in getting ready like it
was the second game of a UAA weekend.
"We are still trying to play 40 minutes of consistent basketball
and I believe that we are getting better in achieving that."
Emory returns to action next Saturday afternoon (Dec. 1) when it
plays at Huntingdon College.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL
TEAM DROPS NAILBITER AT MARYVILLE
(Nov. 24) - Emory senior Dan Smith scored a career-high 20 points
and sophomore Anthony Fernandez added 13 but it wasn't enough as
the Eagles saw a second-half rally fall short against Maryville
College Saturday evening as the Scots escaped with a 75-72
win. The loss dropped Emory's record to 1-3 while Maryville
boosted its record to 2-0.
Smith scored 14 of his points in the second half and led a comeback
from a 12-point deficit that the Eagles faced during the early
stages of the second half. Trailing by a 46-34 margin, Smith
scored Emory's next eight points in an 8-2 run that cut the deficit
to 48-42. After a Maryville basket, the Eagles countered with
a 9-0 run, sparked by five points by sophomore Daniel Curtin and
two points apiece by senior Seth Kramer and Fernandez, that enabled
Emory to take its first lead of the night at 51-50 with 10:30 left
on the clock.
The teams traded baskets with Fernandez's bucket giving the
visiting Eagles a 51-50 edge with 8:50 on the clock. A pair
of free throws by the Scots' Alex Bowers culminated a 7-1 Maryville
spurt and gave it 59-54 advantage. Emory stayed within
striking distance and used three-point plays by senior Spiros
Ferderigos and junior Malick Valliani to trail by just one point,
61-60, with five minutes remaining. Trailing by a 66-64
count, Smith knocked down a three-point shot that put Emory back in
front with 1:45 on the clock. Over the next frantic 60
seconds each team retook the lead twice with a Smith trey giving
the Eagles a 72-70 lead. However, his three-pointer would be
the team's final points of the evening. A basket by
Maryville senior Alex Bowers with 15 seconds left gave the Scots a
73-72 edge and they added two more points on the strength of a pair
of charity tosses by Jared Laverdiere with four seconds left to
close out the game's scoring.
Maryville used some timely shooting from three-point range in
taking a 42-34 lead at halftime. The Scots drained seven-of-13
opportunities from beyond the arc compared to Emory's one-of-ten
effort. The Eagles ended the contest shooting 46.7 percent from the
floor (28-of-60) compared to Maryville's mark of 42.8 percent
(25-of-59).
"In the first half we gave their shooters too many open looks and
subsequently we dug ourselves a hole," Head Coach Jason Zimmerman
said. "In the second half we did a better job of finding their
shooters. That allowed us to make a run that put us in a position
to win the game.
"I thought the we got some good contributions from players off the
bench after some of our guys got in foul trouble," Zimmerman
continued. "Malick Valliani came in and performed well as did Brian
Giometti. Plus, Dan Smith hit some tough shots down the stretch
that were big."
Emory will play LaGrange College on Sunday afternoon in a 2:00 p.m.
start at Maryville.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM TO PLAY AT
MARYVILLE COLLEGE
THANKSGIVING CLASSIC
(Nov. 23) - CLASSIC FACTS - After posting its
first win of the 2007-08 season, the Emory men's basketball team
hits the road to play in Maryville College's Thanksgiving Classic
this Saturday and Sunday (Nov. 24-25). The Eagles will take
on host Maryville College on Saturday in a 7:30 p.m. start before
meeting LaGrange College on Sunday in a 2:00 p.m. tip. All
games will be played at the Boydson Baird Gymnasium in the Cooper
Athletic Center on the Maryville campus.
THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is
first-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson,
'94.) Named head coach in April, Zimmerman came to Emory
after serving as an assistant coach at the University of Evansville
(2003-04 through 2006-07). Prior to his stint with the Aces,
Zimmerman was an assistant at Davidson College for seven years
(1996-97 through 2002-03).
Randy Lambert (Maryville, ‘76) is in his
28th season as head coach at Maryville. During his tenure, Lambert
has compiled a school and career record of 502-222 and ranks 11th
in the nation among active Division III coaches in victories.
In his sixth season as head coach of the Panthers of LaGrange
College is Warren Haynes (LaGrange, 1998).
Entering this weekend's action, Haynes has a school and career
won-lost ledger of 62-73. Last season, Haynes guided the
program to a 18-9 mark which represented the most wins by a
Panthers' squad in 13 seasons.
2007-08 RECORDS - Emory heads into the weekend
with a 1-2 record. The Eagles notched their first win of the
season on Tuesday when they topped Washington & Lee by a 76-72
margin. Leading Emory's scoring attack in that contest was
senior Dan Smith and junior John
Kresse with 14 points apiece. Sophomore
Anthony Fernandez was the club's top rebounder
with a career-high 12 boards.
Maryville will entertain the Eagles with a 1-0 mark. The
Scots opened their season with a 74-60 triumph over Averett
University on Nov. 17.
LaGrange, who will open play in the Classic against Oglethorpe on
Saturday, stands 1-2 following an 85-71 win over the University of
the South on Tuesday.
SERIES RECORDS - In a series that
began in 2001, Emory holds a 9-2 all-time record against
LaGrange. The teams split a pair of overtime decisions last
year with Emory capturing a 96-93 outcome on its home court while
the Panthers answered with a 91-77 triumph at LaGrange.
Maryville posts a 12-5 edge in the series against Emory that
started in 1990. The Scots and Eagles split two contests last
season with Emory winning, 93-82, at the Woodruff PE Center and the
Scots registering a 95-52 triumph at Maryville. Maryville has
won four of the last five contests and stands 6-0 against Emory in
games played on its home floor.
EMORY NOTES - Emory's win over Washington &
Lee upped the program's all-time record to 17-5 in home-opening
games ... Anthony Fernandez's 12 caroms in the
Washington & Lee game was the first double-digit performance by
an Emory player this season and was the second time this year that
he finished as the team's top rebounder ... John
Kresse's career-high 14 points against Washington &
Lee was his first double-figure scoring effort as an Eagle ...
Sophomore Daniel Curtin has at least one
three-point field goal in all three games and is shooting a
team-high 43.8 percent (7-of-16) from beyond the arc ... Emory's
91.7 percent mark from the foul line (22-of-24) in the Washington
& Lee game tied for the fifth-highest mark in school history
and was the third-highest effort when converting 20 or more from
the charity stripe ... Senior Spiros Ferderigos
totaled 11 points in the Washington & Lee game, his third
straight effort of double digits this season and 64th in 76 career
games ... Ferderigos is No. 4 on the school's all-time scoring list
with 1,291 points.
ON THE HORIZON - Following its appearance in the
Maryville College Thanksgiving Classic, the Eagles face a road test
at Huntingdon College on Saturday, Dec. 1, starting at 4:00 p.m.
(CST).
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM EDGES
WASHINGTON & LEE
(Nov. 20) - Emory senior Dan Smith and junior John Kresse each
scored 14 points to lead four double-figure scorers and the Eagles
used clutch free throw shooting down the stretch in posting a
come-from-behind 76-72 win over Washington & Lee Tuesday
evening in a game played at the Woodruff PE Center on the Emory
campus. The win marked Jason Zimmerman's first triumph as
Emory's head coach and raised the squad's record to 1-2. The
setback dropped Washington & Lee's record to 0-3.
Trailing by 67-61 margin with 5:04 left in the game, the Eagles
knotted the contest at 68-68 following a three-point field goal by
sophomore Daniel Curtin with 2:50 on the clock. Emory took the lead
for good with 2:26 remaining when Smith knocked down a pair of free
throws. It was first of eight straight free throw conversions
for the Eagles who accounted for their final eight points of the
contest from the charity stripe. Smith accounted for six of
those makes while Curtin sank a pair with 10 ticks left on the
clock that closed out the game's scoring.
Washington and Lee was successful on 50.9 percent from the floor
(28-of-55) compared to Emory's 41.1 percent (23-of-56).
However, the Eagles turned in a stellar effort from the foul line,
sinking 22-of-24 including all 16 opportunities in the second half
of play. Sophomore forward Anthony Fernandez (Miami, FL)
established a career best by snaring a game-high 12 rebounds which
helped Emory post a 37-28 in the rebounding department. The
Eagles also enjoyed a hefty 34-14 advantage in bench points with
Smith accounting for his entire total via that route and
complemented by Curtin's eight points and junior Brian Giometti's
10 points. Senior Spiros Ferderigos (Oldsmar, FL) picked up
11 points, his third double-digit outing of the campaign.
After the teams battled to a 38-38 standoff at halftime, Emory
edged ahead, 61-57, with 10:31 remaining. However, the
Generals held Emory scoreless over a five-minute, twenty-seven
second span while scoring 10 straight points to take the 67-61
lead.
"It was a good team win with a lot of players contributing at
crucial times," Zimmerman said after the game. "We are trying
to improve every time out and thought that we accomplished that
with the win this evening."
Emory returns to action on Saturday, Nov. 24, when it plays at
Maryville College.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM MAKES
2007-08 HOME DEBUT
(Nov. 19) - GAME FACTS - The 2007-08 Emory men's
basketball team makes its home debut on Tuesday (Nov. 20) when it
battles Washington and Lee University. The Woodruff PE Center
will be the site of the 14th meeting between the Eagles and
Generals and tip is slated for 7:00 p.m.
THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is
first-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson,
'94.) Named head coach in April, Zimmerman came to Emory
after serving as an assistant coach at the University of Evansville
(2003-04 through 2006-07). Prior to his stint with the Aces,
Zimmerman was an assistant at Davidson College for seven years
(1996-97 through 2002-03).
Adam Hutchinson (Amherst, ‘93) is in his
fifth season as head coach at Washington and Lee. Prior to
his current post, Hutchinson served as head coach at Case Western
Reserve University for two seasons.
2007-08 RECORDS - Emory checks into its home
opener with a 0-2 record. The Eagles played at the Lon
Varnell Classic last weekend and came out on the short end of a
72-64 decision to UT-Tyler and an 85-66 verdict to host University
of the South.
Washington & Lee opened their season at the Rose City Classic
hosted by Drew University and dropped games to Drew, 57-55 in
overtime, and 79-74 to Ursinus.
SERIES RECORDS - In a series that
dates from 1987, Washington & Lee enjoys a slim 7-6
record against Emory. Last year, the Generals hosted Emory
and picked up a 69-57 win that snapped a three-game Eagles'
winning streak in the series. Each team has picked up three
wins on Emory's home court.
HOME OPENERS - Emory will bring a home-opening
record of 16-5 into Tuesday's game. The Eagles have won their
last three home openers including last season's 96-93 overtime
triumph against LaGrange College. Leading the Emory effort in
that game was Spiros Ferderigos with 28 points.
EMORY NOTES - Senior Spiros
Ferderigos started last weekend in sixth place on the
school's all-time scoring list and moved up to the No. 4 position
following his 43-point weekend ... Ferderigos now has 1,280 points
to his credit ... Ferderigos has played in 75 games over the course
of his career and owns 63 double-figure scoring contests including
22 outings of 20 or more points ... Sophomore Anthony
Fernandez (Miami, FL) made his first collegiate starts
over the weekend and registered a career-high nine rebounds against
UT-Tyler before totaling a career-best 12 points against Sewanee
... Senior Seth Kramer (Winter Park, FL) drew his
first career starting assignment when he took the floor against
South and he responded with career highs in both points (8) and
rebounds (7).
ON THE HORIZON - Following its home opener, the
Eagles take to road to play in the Maryville College Thanksgiving
Classic, Nov. 24-25. Emory will play Maryville on the 24th
before taking on LaGrange on Nov. 25.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL SQUAD FALLS TO
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH
(Nov. 18) - The University of the South
built a 23-point lead in the first half and then withstood a
furious Emory rally before pulling away for an 85-66 win in the
final game of the Lon Varnell Classic. The loss dropped the
Eagles' record to 0-2 while the host Tigers upped their mark to
2-0.
Leading the Emory effort was senior guard Spiros
Ferderigos (Oldsmar, FL) with 21 points and six
rebounds. Sophomore forward Anthony
Fernandez (Miami) totaled 12 points and six rebounds while
sophomore guard Daniel Curtin rounded out the
Eagles' double-figure scorers with 10 points. Senior
Seth Kramer (Winter Park, FL), making his first
career start, pulled down a team-high seven rebounds.
Sewanee shot a blistering 57.7 percent (15-of-26) from the floor in
the first half, including 58.3 percent (7-of-12) from three-point
range, in taking a 48-33 lead into the locker room at
halftime. After a three-pointer by senior Dan
Smith (Weston, FL) gave Emory a 12-10 advantage with 14:51
left in the first half, the Tigers went on a 19-0 scoring burst
over the next four minutes and thirty seconds that gave them a
29-12 advantage. Sewanee kept the pressure up and a Casey
Berry layup boosted the Tigers' lead to 44-21 with 4:55 left in the
first stanza. The Eagles stayed within reach by closing out
the half with a 12-4 run, with Ferderigos scoring five points.
Emory came out firing early in the second half, hitting its first
five shots from the floor and using seven points by Ferderigos and
six by Fernandez in a 13-3 burst that drew the Eagles to 50-46 with
15:05 left on the clock. Emory kept on the Tigers' heels and
a three-pointer by Curtin cut the deficit to 59-57 with 10:47
left. Sewanee responded with a 10-2 run of its own to
increase its cushion to 10 before a Federigos jumper with 7:35
remaining cut the gap to eight. That would be as close as the
Eagles would get as South scored the game's next six points to take
a 14-point lead with 5:03 on the clock.
Emory shot 50 percent from the floor over the final 20 minutes to
finish the contest with a 41.8 percent effort (23-of-55).
Sewanee knocked down 57.1 percent of its opportunities (28-49) and
drained 12-of-22 (.54.5%) from three-point range. The Eagles
totaled 34 rebounds compared to Sewanee's 33. Ferderigos was
the lone Emory player to be named to the all-tournament team.Emory
will make its home debut on Tuesday, Nov. 20, when it plays host to
Washington & Lee College in a 7:00 p.m. start.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL SQUAD OPENS
'07-08 REGULAR SEASON AT
LON VARNELL CLASSIC
CLASSIC FACTS - The Emory men's basketball team
begins the 2007-08 regular season this Saturday and Sunday (Nov.
17-18) when it participates in the Lon Varnell Classic.
Joining the Eagles in the three-team tourney are host University of
the South and UT-Tyler. Emory takes on UT-Tyler on Saturday
in a 1:00 p.m. (CST) start before meeting South on Sunday in
another 1:00 p.m. tip.
UT-Tyler and South get things underway on Friday evening in a 7:00
p.m. contest.
THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is
first-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson,
'94.) Named head coach in April, Zimmerman came to Emory
after serving as an assistant coach at the University of Evansville
(2003-04 through 2006-07). Prior to his stint with the Aces,
Zimmerman was an assistant at Davidson College for seven years
(1996-97 through 2002-03).
Kenny Bizot (Mississippi College, ‘94) is in
his first season at UT-Tyler. Bizot joined the Patriots
program after a one-year stint as head coach at Jackson Preparatory
School in Jackson, Mississippi. Prior to his tenure at
Jackson Prep, Bizot spent four years as an assistant coach at
Mississippi College.
In his 14th year as head coach of South-Sewanee is Joe
Thoni (South, '79). During his career, Thoni has
compiled a school and career record of 170-181 and has guided the
Tigers to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances.
2006-07 RECORDS - Emory closed out the 2006-07
season with an overall record of 8-17 including a 2-12 mark in
University Athletic Association contests.
The Eagles made their '07-08 debut on Nov. 9 with a 120-56
exhibition setback at Division I opponent Davidson College.
Leading Emory in scoring in that affair was sophomore guard
Daniel Curtin (Great Barrington, MA) with 11
points.
UT-Tyler looks to bounce back after a 6-18 campaign from a year
ago. A member of the American Southwest Conference, the
Patriots posted a 5-15 league slate last season and were picked to
finish fourth in the ASC East Division this season.
The University of the South is coming off a 6-19 record from a year
ago. The Tigers concluded the Southern Collegiate Athletic
Conference portion of the schedule with a 5-9 effort.
SERIES RECORDS - In a series that
dates from 1987, Emory claims a 24-17 all-time mark against
South. The Eagles have won the last 10 meetings between the
schools including a pair of contests last year, 78-61 at Sewanee
(Nov. 30) and 91-62 at home (Dec. 6). The Tigers stand 12-9
against Emory in games played at South.
SEASON OPENERS - Entering this weekend, Emory
posts a 13-8 record in season-opening games. The Eagles have
dropped their last two opening games including last year's 89-71
setback at Division I Mercer University. Emory is 4-7 in
season openers that have been played either on the road or on
neutral courts.
EMORY PLAYERS TO WATCH - The Eagles return nine
letterwinners from last year's team including one starter.
Senior Spiros Ferderigos (Oldsmar, FL) is coming
off a productive '06-07 season that saw him average team highs in
points (17.6 ppg), rebounds (5.9 rpg) and assists (4.5 apg).
A second team All-UAA selection last season, the 6-foot-1
Ferderigos was the No. 2 scorer among UAA players and posted double
digits in points in 20 of his 23 appearances. He totaled 20
or more points on nine occasions and his 35-point explosion against
Case Western in the final game of the year represented the
high-water mark by all UAA players. Ferderigos enters the
year ranked sixth in career scoring at Emory with 1,177 points.
While Ferderiogs is the lone returning starter, there are a number
of other players who saw considerable action last season who look
to increase their contributions. Junior John
Kresse (Charleston, SC) played in 23 games last year and
could emerge as a regular starter in the backcourt. Two other
cagers who saw their '06-07 campaigns cut short by injuries eagerly
look forward to this season and their play could provide a big
boost to the fortunes of the Emory program. Senior
sharpshooter Dan Smith (Weston, FL) was averaging
10.0 points and shot 40.7 percent from three-point range before
being shelved and sophomore forward Anthony
Fernandez (Miami, FL), 6-foot-3, impressed with his
hard-nosed and opportunistic style of play.
UT-TYLER PLAYERS TO WATCH -- The Patriots
welcome back their top three point producers from a year ago
including senior guard Mirada Reed (10.5 ppg) and junior guard
Anthony Reese (9.1 ppg). Reese also grabbed a team-high 4.5
rebounds per contest while senior forward Mike Smith, 6-foot-6,
snatched 4.4 boards per outings, good for the No. 2 spot on the
team. Senior forward Anthony Hightower, 6-foot-6,
averaged 8.3 points and shot 52.3 percent from the floor.
SOUTH PLAYERS TO WATCH -- The Tigers will be
looking for players to pick up the slack left by the departure of
four of the top five scorers. The top returning point
producer is junior forward Ben Pursell, 6-foot-6, who averaged 9.7
points while shooting a team-high 51.5 percent (84-of-163) from the
floor. Pursell also picked up a team-high 6.4 rebounds per
outing.
ON THE HORIZON - The Eagles play on their home
court for the first time this season on Tuesday, Nov. 20,
when they host Washington & Lee in a 7:00 p.m. start.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL SQUAD FALLS TO
DAVIDSON COLLEGE
(Nov. 10) - Davidson sophomore guard
Stephen Curry totaled a game-high 27 points and paced five
double-figure scorers as the NCAA Division I Wildcats treated their
home fans to a 120-56 season-opening win over Emory.
Complementing Curry's performance was senior backcourt mate Jason
Richards who totaled 14 points while dishing out 10 assists.
Curry and Richards combined for 15-of-22 from the floor including
nine-of-14 from three-point range.
Emory sophomore guard Daniel Curtin (Great
Barrington, MA) led Emory with 11 points, converting four-of-nine
from the floor including three-of-five from three-point
range. Senior Spiros Ferderigos (Oldsmar,
FL) totaled nine points and tied Curtin for team honors with four
rebounds.
Davidson, who returned all five starters from last season's 29-5
team, shot 50 percent (46-of-92) from the field during the contest
while holding the visiting Eagles to 30.6 percent (19-of-62).
The Wildcats were effective from long-range and knocked down
19-of-46 attempts from three-point range.
Emory's next action takes place the weekend of Nov. 17-18 when it
ventures to Sewanee, Tennessee, to take part in the Lon Varnell
Classic hosted the University of the South. The Eagles of
Head Coach Jason Zimmerman will meet UT-Tyler on Saturday in a 1:00
p.m. start before battling South on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
EMORY BASKETBALL TANGLES WITH DAVIDSON COLLEGE
The 2007-08 edition of the Emory 's men's basketball team makes
its debut on Friday, November 9, when it plays at NCAA Division I
foe Davidson College. The Eagles and Wildcats will square off
at Belk Arena starting at 8:00 p.m.
It will be a homecoming of sorts for first-year Emory head coach
Jason Zimmerman, who enjoyed a fine playing career for the Wildcats
(1991-94) while also spending seven seasons (1996-97 through
2002-03) as an assistant coach. In addition to Zimmerman,
Emory assistant Coach Matt McKillop played at Davidson (2003-06)
and is the son of Wildcats' Head Coach Bob McKillop, now in his
19th year at the helm of the program.
Emory returns nine letterwinners from last season's team that
finished with an overall record of 8-17. Headlining the cast
of returning vets is senior guard Spiros Ferderigos who produced a
team-high 17.6 points per game average last season, good for the
No. 2 spot among University Athletic Association performers.
The 6-foot-1 Ferderigos, the school's No. 6 all-time leading scorer
(1,177 pts.), scored in double figures in 20 of his 23 appearances
a year ago and chalked up nine performances of 20 or more
points. In addition to his offensive exploits, Ferderigos
finished prominently in other statistical categories in the UAA
including rebounding (10th, 5.9 rpg), assists (5th, 4.52 apg),
steals (1st, 2.17 spg).
While Ferderigos is the squad's lone returning starter, two players
who saw their 2006-07 seasons cut short due to injury look to be
significant contributors. Senior guard Dan Smith, 5-foot-11,
impressed with his long-range shooting ability and averaged 10.0
points over 12 games before being shelved with a knee injury.
Sophomore forward Anthony Fernandez, 6-foot-3, displayed a
hard-nosed and opportunistic style of play in his nine appearances
that has carried over into preseason drills.
Among the newcomers who look to emerge include juniors Malick
Valliani, a 6-foot-6 forward, and 6-foot-2 guard Brian
Giometti. Zimmerman and the staff are also eager to see the
contributions of freshmen guards Julien Williams and David
Smith.
While the Eagles return just one starter, Davidson returns all five
from last year's squad that established a school record for
victories in a season with an overall record of 29-5. Among
those back in the fold is sophomore Stephen Curry who ranked ninth
nationally and second among all Division I freshmen in scoring with
a team-best 21.5 points per-game effort. The 6-foot-2 Curry,
the 2006-07 Southern Conference Freshman of the Year, broke the
NCAA single-season freshman mark for three-point field goals with
122 treys. Senior guard Jason Richards, 6-foot-2, was voted
first team All-Southern Conference last season and scored at a 13.5
per-game clip while dishing out 7.3 assists per contest, good for
the No. 2 spot nationally.
EMORY BASKETBALL FEATURE IN DAVIDSON
COLLEGE'S WILDCAT REPORT
The basketball program at prestigious Emory University in
Atlanta is going to have a distinctive Davidson flavor.
Jason Zimmerman, who played for coach Bob McKillop at Davidson for
four years and then sat on his bench as a valued assistant coach
for eight additional seasons, was named head coach of the Eagles in
May. When it came time to name his full-time assistant coach,
Zimmerman didn't leave the ranch. He appointed Matt McKillop
(Davidson '06) to that position.
Zimmerman served as an assistant coach at Evansville University in
Indiana for the past three seasons before getting his first chance
to become a head coach at Emory.
Emory plays Division III basketball, which means it competes with
the same tenacity and dreams as Division I, but without the benefit
of awarding athletic scholarships. It's a pure way of playing the
game, and Zimmerman says he's anxious to find out exactly how it
all comes together. After all, his entire experience as a player
and coach to this point has been at Division 1.
"I am tremendously excited to get my first head coaching
opportunity at a great academic school that is much like Davidson,"
Zimmerman said. "The skills I learned and used under Coach McKillop
at Davidson are proving to be invaluable to me here. I am learning
to be a head coach, and it's an exciting experience."
Emory is a highly acclaimed academic school situated on a gorgeous
campus in Atlanta that has 6,000 undergraduate students and about
the same number of graduate students. Its undergraduate School of
Business is ranked one of the best in the nation, and its Law
School and School of Medicine have earned high marks.
Emory competes in the tough University Athletic Association (UAA),
which is generally regarded among basketball people as the toughest
Division III basketball league in the nation. For instance, four of
its eight members earned berths in the NCAA tournament last season.
In addition to Emory, the conference is comprised of New York
University, Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, Washington University in
St. Louis, the University of Chicago, Brandeis University in
Boston, the University of Rochester in New York and Case Western
Reserve in Cleveland.
"We will be traveling to some of the greatest cities in the nation
to play our conference schedule," Zimmerman told us. "That should
be a big help to us as we try to recruit the excellent student and
talented basketball player to Emory."
Since the campuses in the UAA are so spread out across the country,
Emory will fly to each of its seven conference road games. The
Eagles will play 14 conference games, and the champion of the
conference is decided in the regular season. There is no conference
tournament because of the distance between the eight campuses.
Emory is allowed to play as many as 25 games in the regular season,
so Zimmerman can schedule as many as 11 out-of-conference
games.
Zimmerman understands full well that he and Matt McKillop face a
learning curve in how to recruit to a Division III campus. Their
task is to identify outstanding student-athletes who aren't quite
good enough to play basketball for schools that award basketball
scholarships. Or, better yet, find "sleepers" that the bigger
schools overlooked. There's no limit to how many players Zimmerman
could recruit each year, but the academic requirements at Emory
will take care of that. It would be a great year if he could find
as many as seven student-athletes that could play winning
basketball and meet Emory's academic requirements.
"We're looking for that special young man who would consider
himself fortunate to participate in this program and have the Emory
experience," Zimmerman said. "Play winning basketball and get a
great education."
He might not have basketball scholarships to award, but no grass is
growing under his feet. While Division 1 coaches were all over the
nation recruiting the top players in July, Zimmerman was in Dallas,
Chicago, Louisville, West Virginia and Orlando in pursuit of
recruits. Matt McKillop, meanwhile, recruited in New Jersey, Boston
and Orlando.
"One of the really good things about our situation," Zimmerman
said, "is that if we're good enough to win our conference, it means
we'd be good enough to compete for a national championship. That's
how good our league is."
Emory has basketball facilities that Zimmerman calls "excellent,"
and sits on a campus that he describes as "beautiful." "Everything
they do here is nice," he says. "The way they cut the grass, prune
the shrubs, keep up the facilities. It's first class."
Emory lost six players from last year's team that played a lot. One
player who Zimmerman says is one of the best in the conference is
back. Eleven others who didn't play extensively also return. The
record last year was 8-17, so there is obviously some rebuilding to
do.
In addition to Matt McKillop, Zimmerman has a volunteer assistant
by the name of Geno Morgan, who he says is a great help to him.
Zimmerman knew enough about Matt McKillop to name his assistant
coach, even though he hadn't coached before. "I knew his work
ethic," Zimmerman said. "And let me say that Matt's really going to
be good in this profession. He has exceeded all of my expectations,
including his work in recruiting. He made himself a player by his
hard work and dedication, and he's bringing those same strengths
with him into coaching."
There is one problem that Zimmerman is dealing with, though. "The
first time I called him ‘Coach McKillop,' I caught myself.
Hey, that didn't sound right. I called one person Coach McKillop.
I'm not sure how I'll address him on the practice court, but I am
sure he'll do a great job."
Coach Bob McKillop says he expects Zimmerman to have an excellent
career as a head coach.
"I'm thrilled that Jason has this chance to be a head coach,
particularly at such a highly respected school," Coach McKillop
said. "His loyalty to the Davidson basketball family has always
been clearly evident. Adding another Davidson basketball alum to
his staff as assistant coach demonstrates that loyalty, and also
gives Emory another young, talented basketball coach. Jason and
Matt will make a terrific team."
Zimmerman, his wife Traci and two children, Trevor and Taylor,
moved into their new Atlanta home on August 1. It's about a
20-minute drive to his campus office.
"My family is thrilled to be here, as am I," Zimmerman said. "I'm
really looking forward to this job and making Emory basketball as
good as it can be. The experiences I had at Davidson as a player
and assistant for Coach McKillop will certainly help me, that's for
sure."
Written by John Kilgo, Wildcat Report