Senior Davis Rao helped the No. 25-ranked Emory squad to a pair of victories in the opening rounds of the NCAA D-III Men's Basketball Tournament.

Rao averaged 16.5 points, second high on the team, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks, as the Eagles topped Covenant College in their opening contest before registering an 84-78 overtime triumph over Birmingham Southern in the second round.  Rao posted double-figure scoring efforts in both contests and closed out the weekend shooting 75 percent (12 of 16) from the floor, including 50 percent (3 of 6) from three-point range, while going six-for-six at the charity stripe.

In the 76-51 triumph over Covenant, Rao totaled 10 points, five rebounds and three blocks, closing out that encounter converting four field goals in six tries, including one triple, and his lone free throw opportunity.  He followed that performance by totaling a game-high 23 points, knocking down eight-of-10 from the floor (two treys) and all five free throws.  His bucket with 34 seconds remaining in regulation knotted the score at 70-70 and forced the extra session. In overtime, he scored six points, the first two on a basket that tied the score at 72-72 and the final four coming on free throws with two seconds left.

Rao has scored in double figures on 18 occasions this year and produced three contests of 20 or more points.