No. 23 Emory Battles No. 20 Rochester For UAA Title

No. 23 Emory Battles No. 20 Rochester For UAA Title

GAME FACTS – This Saturday’s (Feb. 23) final regular-season game for the Emory University men’s basketball team will be a big one as it tangles with the University of Rochester for the outright University Athletic Association title, and the league’s automatic berth to the NCAA D-III Tournament. 

The Woodruff PE Center on the Emory campus will serve as the venue for the 64th meeting between the Eagles and Yellowjackets and tip is slated for 4:00 pm.  Prior to the start of the game, Emory will conduct Senior Day ceremonies with the program recognizing the career contributions of Gebereal Baitey, Beau Bommarito, Joey Katz and Spencer Osborne.

VIDEO LINK:  https://emory.prestosports. com/sports/mbkb/live
LIVE STATS: https://emory.prestosports. com/sports/mbkb/2018-19/ boxscores/20190223_om4s.xml

THE COACHES – Jason Zimmerman (Davidson, 1994) is in his 12th year of patrolling the Emory sideline. Named head coach in April of 2007, 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).   

During his tenure with the Eagles, he ranks as the program's winningest coach, compiling a school and career record of 213-102.   In games played at the Woodruff PE Center, Zimmerman posts a 123-29 ledger and claims a 90-73 mark in road/neutral settings.  He sports a 13-10 record against Rochester.  

He has guided Emory to 10 straight winning seasons and six consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018).  The Eagles are the lone D-III program to have won at least one NCAA contest in each of the past six years.  

After going 17-33 his first two years at Emory, Zimmerman has compiled a won-lost slate of 196-69 (.739) since the 2009-10 season.

Luke Flockerzi is in his ninth campaign as the head coach at Rochester. Heading into Saturday's match-up vs. Emory, Flockerzi has manufactured a school ledger of 158-75, guiding the Yellowjackets to three trips to the NCAA Tournament.  In 12 years as a head coach, which includes a three-year run at Skidmore College, Flockerzi holds a career mark of 188-121.

2018-19 RECORDS – Emory, ranked 23rd in this week’s D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll, stands 19-5 overall and is tied with Rochester for first place in the UAA with a ledger of 10-3.  The Eagles made the most of their final regular-season road trip of the year by capturing contests at Case Western Reserve, 83-71, and Carnegie Mellon, 89-74, their 14th and 15th victories of the campaign by 10 or more points.  

Sophomore Lawrence Rowley led the squad in both scoring (18.0 ppg) and rebounding (12.0 rpg) over the two contests, highlighted by his fifth double-double of the year, a 17-point, career-high tying 15-rebound outing against CWRU.  Sophomore Matt Davet was close behind Rowley with an average of 16.0 points, which saw him produce a game-high 23 points in the decision over Carnegie Mellon.

Emory is 11-2 in home games and 8-3 in away/neutral contests this season.

Rochester, ranked 20th by D3hoops.com, has won its last six affairs and checks in with an overall mark of 20-4, 10-3 in the league.  This past weekend, UR won at Carnegie Mellon, 79-58, and Case Western, 68-62.  The Yellowjackets are 8-3 in away/neutral contests.

SERIES RECORDS – In a series that began on January 22, 1988, Rochester holds an all-time mark of 36-27 vs. Emory.  The Yellowjackets won the initial match-up of this season, ending a three-game losing streak to the Eagles in the process, claiming an 87-76 decision in Rochester.  Leading the Emory effort in that contest were Matt Davet with 23 points and Lawrence Rowley with nine rebounds.

Emory will head into Saturday with a 20-11 won-lost ledger vs. Rochester in games that have been played in the Woodruff PE Center.  The Eagles have won the last eight meetings played in Atlanta.

EMORY USES THE THREE-BALL – Heading into the regular-season finale vs. Rochester, the Eagles hold down the No. 1 spot in the UAA with a mark of 10.3 treys per game. Emory has been successful on 35.7 percent (246-of-690) of its triple tries, good for the No. 3 spot among UAA teams.   In conference play, the Eagles are No. 2 behind Chicago (10.5 tpg) with an average of 9.8 three-pointers per outing.  The team’s 246 triples are tied for fifth on the program’s seasonal ladder.

Emory has registered 10 or more treys in 12 contests this year and posts a record of 11-1 in such contests.

Earlier this year, the Eagles converted a UAA-record 19 treys in the 116-77 victory over Trinity (Dec. 1).  Emory has had five or more players record three-pointers in 13 contests this season, highlighted by eight finding their way into the triple column vs. Keuka and seven in the Trinity and Brandeis (Jan. 25) tilts. 

Earlier in the campaign, Emory tied a then-school record with 18 triples against Keuka College (Nov. 17).  

WILLIAMS PUTTING UP POINTS – Romin Williams closed out the Carnegie Mellon game with 16 points, representing the 13th time in the past 14 contests that he registered double-figure scoring.  A double-digit scorer on 21 occasions this year, he leads the UAA in overall scoring average (17.5 ppg) while ranking second in conference contests (17.5 ppg).  Williams has scored 20 or more points a team-high tying nine times this year and has ranked as the Eagles’ leading scorer in eight games.

SCHNER SCORES AND BOARDS
 – Matt Schner has emerged as a consistent and key member of the team’s fortunes this year and will enter the upcoming weekend with double-figure scoring to his credit in nine of his past 10 and in a total of 18 contests this year. In the rebounding department, Schner has chalked up 14 outings with seven or more rebounds with three of double-figure performances to his credit in that department, most recently a game-high 12-carom outing against Carnegie Mellon last Sunday (Feb. 17).

Schner starts the week with a scoring average of 13.3 points per game, good for the No. 4 spot on the team and 11th on the UAA chart. His 57.1 percent mark from the field is tops on the club and slots him sixth among league performers.  He has shot 50 percent or better from the floor on 15 occasions.  In the rebounding department he is second on the team and seventh on the conference list with a 7.2 per game average.  He has either led or shared for team honors in rebounding on eight occasions.

In league action only, Schner is tossing in 14.2 points, 9th on the conference ladder, and is second in field goal percentage (.607, 74-of-122).

DAVET PROVIDING PUNCH – Matt Davet ranks second among UAA players in overall scoring average, registering a 16.7 points-per-game average mark. In league play, Davet is fourth on the UAA ladder at 17.0 points per game. In last Sunday’s win at Carnegie Mellon, Davet finished as the team’s leading scorer for the ninth time this year with a game-high 23 points, hitting a career-high 10 field goals in 17 attempts including a pair of treys.

A double-figure scorer on 17 occasions this season, he has is deadlocked with Romin Williams for the team lead with nine performances of 20 or more points.  Career-wise, he has appeared in 50 contests and has chalked up 29 double-figure scoring performances. 

TAKING CARE OF THE BALL KEY FOR EMORY – Taking care of the ball has played a significant role in the team’s success, posting a 14-1 mark when having fewer turnovers than the opposition (5-4 when having more turnovers).  Including the 2017-18 campaign, Emory stands 30-4 when finishing with fewer miscues than the opposition. Emory has six games this year of single-digit turnovers.  

Emory leads the UAA in turnover margin (+2.96).  The Eagles have registered the advantage in the points-off-turnovers category in 15 contests.

Through 13 UAA games, Emory is No. 1 in the league in turnover margin (+3.23).  The Eagles have single-digit turnover numbers in five conference outings.

EMORY ON THE GLASS – Emory has outrebounded 18 opponents and enjoys a double-digit edge in that category in 11 contests,  including both of last weekend’s affairs against Case Western Reserve (45-30) and Carnegie Mellon (43-26).  Emory is averaging a conference-best 42.0 boards per outing including a league-high 14.7 caroms on the offensive end of the floor, helping it to an edge in second-chance points in 16 games.

Emory claims three of the UAA's top-13 rebounders, led by sophomore Lawrence Rowley whose 8.2 per-game average is good for third on the league ladder. Matt Schner (7.2 rpg) stands 7th on the conference chart while Matt Davet holds down the No. 14 slot (5.3 rpg).

The Rowely, Schner and Davet trio have either individually or collectively ranked as the team's top performers in rebound in in 22 outings with Rowley leading or tying for club honors in 13 games.

EMORY ALL-TIME LEADING SOPHOMORE SCORERS

Player                                  GP               Pts.           Year

Tim Garrett                           26               477          1987-88
Spiros Ferderigos                25               475          2005-06
Jake Davis                            25               475          2011-12
Romin Williams                   24               421          2018-19
Nick Pastis                          26               402          1990-91
Matt Davet                           24               400          2018-19
Seun Abolaji                         25               395          2000-01


EMORY BENCH ANSWERING THE CALL
 – Emory has used its depth to its advantage this season as the Eagle reserves have outscored their counterparts by a 676 (28.2 ppg) to 560 (23.3 ppg) margin. Emory has recorded the advantage in the points-off-bench category in 18 contests and has seen the reserves total 40 or more points in four games. 

OFFENSE IN AMPLE SUPPLY
 – Offense has been plentiful for Emory thus far, with the Eagles ranking first among UAA squads with a 93.2 points per game average. 

Emory has scored 90 or more points in 15 contests this year, and has cracked the 100-point plateau a school-record tying six times.  

The Eagles' five straight outings of 90 or more points (Dec. 1 through Dec. 30) tied the 2013-14 squad (Nov. 23 – Dec.3, 2013) for the program's second-longest streak.  The 1989-90 team holds the top mark with seven straight performances of 90 or more points (Jan. 5 – Jan. 26, 1990) en route to closing out that season with a school-record 17 contests of 90 or more points.

EMORY FEATURES BALANCED ATTACK -- Emory has employed a balanced scoring attack this year with five players averaging in double figures.  Leading the scoring parade is Romin Williams at 17.5 points-per-game average, good for first place on the UAA ladder. Matt Davet is one spot behind Williams at 16.7 points per game while Lawrence Rowley holds down the No. 9 slot (14.3 ppg).  Matt Schner (13.3 ppg) and senior Gebereal Baitey (10.0 ppg) round out the group and rank 11th and 22nd, respectively, among UAA scorers

The Eagles have had five or more players score in double figures on 12 occasions this year.

EAGLES AND THE CENTURY MARK –
 Emory's back-to-back contests of 100-plus points vs. Wash U (Feb. 8) and Chicago (Feb. 10) represented the fifth time in school history that it posted consecutive games of reaching or passing the century mark.

So far this year, the Eagles' have hung 100 or more points on the opposition six times, tying the 1988-89 squad for most games in a season with 100 or more points.  Prior to last weekend, the most recent back-to-back outings of 100 or more points came Dec. 1, 2013 (106-84 vs. LaGrange) and Dec. 3, 2013 (110-76 vs. Covenant College).

Emory's 116 points against Carnegie Mellon (Jan. 20) tied the program's single-game scoring record set earlier vs. Trinity University (Dec. 1).  The 116 points erased the previous mark of 112 set against Sewanee on Nov. 29, 2005.   Earlier this year (Nov. 17), the Eagles dialed up 109 points vs. Keuka College, which at the time tied the program's sixth-highest game total.  Emory reached the century mark for the third time in the Wash U game (Jan. 11) when it dialed up 108 points, tying the program's 12th-highest game total. 

In its history, Emory has scored 100 or more points 54 times and claims a 48-6 ledger in such outings.  During Jason Zimmerman's tenure as head coach, Emory has 23 contests of 100 or more points and stands 21-2 in those games. 

ROWLEY FINDS THE MARK – Lawrence Rowley ranks second on the club and seventh among University Athletic Association players with a 56.6 percent effort from the floor, converting 128-of-226 field goal attempts.  Rowley has shot 50 percent or better in 10 of the team's 13 conference games (.576, 68-of-118) and in 17 games this year and has five contests of 70 percent or higher (three at home, two on the road). 

SHARE THE BALL – Emory has displayed the trait of sharing the basketball with its average of 17.3 assists per game good for the No. 1 spot in the UAA and 23rd among all D-III programs (through Feb. 15). The Eagles have doled out 20 or more assists seven times this year -- 29 vs. Trinity (Dec. 1), the third-highest mark in school history, 22 vs. East Texas Baptist (Dec. 30), 21 vs. Keuka (Nov. 17), 21 vs. Wash U (Jan. 11), 21 vs. Case Western (Jan. 18), 27 vs. Carnegie Mellon (Jan. 20) that tied the program's sixth-highest mark, and 21 vs. Brandeis (Feb. 1). 

Emory's 416 assists ranks 6th on the program's seasonal chart.

Sophomore Nick Stuck paces the team and is second in the conference with an average of 4.7 assists per game, while Romin Williams holds down the No. 6 position at 3.5 per contest.  In addition, Stuck is first in the UAA and 22nd in the D-III (through Feb. 15) in assist/turnover ratio (2.9).

EMORY'S HIGHEST-SCORING HALVES IN 2018-19
68 – vs. Carnegie Mellon (Jan. 20) – 1st Half
65 – vs. Trinity (Dec. 1) – 2nd Half
63 – vs. Keuka (Nov. 17) – 1st Half
57 – vs. Wash U (Feb. 8) – 1st Half
55 – vs. Chicago (Feb. 10) – 1st Half
55 – vs. Brandeis (Jan. 25) – 1st Half
55 – vs. Wash U (Jan. 11) – 2nd Half
55 – vs. College of Staten Island (Nov. 16) – 2nd Half
54 – vs. Piedmont (Nov. 11) – 2nd Half
53 – vs. Wash U (Jan. 11) – 1st Half
52 – vs. Chicago (Feb. 10) – 2nd Half
52 – vs. NYU (Jan. 27) – 2nd Half
51 – vs. East Texas Baptist (Dec. 30) – 2nd Half
51 – vs. Trinity (Dec. 1) – 1st Half
50 – vs. Oswego State (Dec. 29) – 2nd Half

WILLIAMS A LONG-RANGE THREAT –
 Romin Williams tops the UAA with an average of 3.0 three-point field goals per game. Williams has drained three or more triples in seven of his last 11 and in a total of 12 games this year, and has tied the school's single-game record of eight treys twice this season – most recently against East Texas Baptist (Dec. 30) when he went eight-of-13 from distance, and the first time against Keuka College (Nov. 17), seven of which came during the opening 20 minutes of play.  Williams finished that contest with a career-high 32 points. 

Romin saw a 12-game streak with at least one three-point field come to an end in the Case Western contest.

Williams is one of three players in school annals to hit eight three-pointers in a game, joining Alex Gulotta (vs. Guilford, Nov. 20, 2010) and Richard Somers (vs. LaGrange, Nov. 16, 2001) in that club. 

Career-wise, Williams has appeared in 51 games and his 136 three-point field goals stands 10th on the program's all-time ladder, four shy of tying Alex Foster (2011-15) for ninth place.  

EMORY THREE-POINT FIELD GOAL SEASON LEADERS

Player                                 GP               3pt. FG    Year

Jeff Hall                               25               91            2004-05
Adam Gigax                         27               80            2016-17
Robert Spivey                      25               78            2000-01
Romin Williams                   24               73            2018-19
Adam Gigax                         27               72            2017-18

STRONG FROM THE STRIPE – Emory has been solid from the foul line this year, connecting at a 76.3 percent (358-of-469) clip, good for first place among UAA teams.   Emory has converted 70 percent or higher of his foul shots in 19 contests this year and is coming off a 76.9 percent (13-of-17) effort vs. Carnegie Mellon last Sunday.

Against NYU (Feb. 3), the Eagles converted a season-high 95 percent (19-of-20), the fifth-highest single-game mark in school history. 

In their 13 home games, the Eagles are hitting 75.4 percent (184-of-244) from the foul line and 77.3 percent (174-of-225) in their 11 away/neutral contests.

Individually, Romin Williams is sixth among UAA cagers with an effort of 78.7 percent (48-of-61) from the stripe. Lawrence Rowley is three spots behind at 77.0 percent (77-of-100) while Matt Davet stands eighth with a showing of 78.4 percent (76-of-97).

MASSEY RATINGS – The University Athletic Association (UAA) is the sixth-rated conference in NCAA Division III, according to the Massey Ratings.  The list of the schools and their rankings: Emory (No. 28), Rochester (No. 29), Wash U (No. 46), Chicago (No. 58), Brandeis (No. 74), Carnegie Mellon (No. 152), Case Western Reserve (No. 210) and New York (No. 267).

BENNETTRANK – In BennettRank, located on the herosports.com web site, Emory is ranked 9th  nationally followed by Wash U (No. 35), Rochester (No. 57), Chicago (No. 71), Brandeis (No. 139), Carnegie Mellon (No. 170), Case Western (No. 198), NYU (No. 259).

EMORY PICKED AS TEAM TO BEAT IN UAA – Emory was picked as the team to beat in the University Athletic Association in a preseason poll conducted by the league coaches.  The Eagles picked up six of the eight first-place votes cast and recorded 48 points.  The University of Rochester was tabbed for second, receiving the other two first-place ballots and totaling 42 points.

DID YOU KNOW -- 
 Since the 2010-11 season, Emory has the No. 1 record among UAA teams in overall (181-59) play and the second-best mark in league action (90-35) .… Washington University has the conference's second-best overall ledger (172-62) and the top slate in conference play (92-33) … That Emory has at least one three-point field goal in its last 568 games -- The last time the Eagles failed to convert from beyond the arc came on Feb. 14, 1997, vs. Washington University (0-of-6) … Emory was won 52 of its last 53 games when allowing 69 or fewer points (5-0 in 2018-19, 11-0 in '17-18, 7-1 in '16-17, 13-0 in '15-16, 16-0 in '14-15) … Emory posts a 32-3 ledger in games since the 2016-17 season when it has converted 10 or more three-pointers in a contest (11-1 in '18-19, 11-0 in 2017-18, 10-2 in '16-17) … The Eagles saw a 30-game win streak come to an end vs. Chicago (Feb. 10) when knocking down 10 or more from distance.

NOTES
 Romin Williams has produced 10 or more points in 42 of 51 career outings and has tallied 20 or more points 16 times …Matt Schner has scored in double figures his last five games, averaging 14.6 points and shooting 58.1 percent (32-of-55) … Nick Stuck has scored in double figures in his last five of his last six contests,  averaging 13.6 points in that stretch, while shooting 55.3 percent (31-of-56) from the floor … On the season, Stuck has produced 10 or more points in nine contests … Stuck heads into the Rochester game in 14th place on the school's seasonal list with 113 assists … Matt Schner and Lawrence Rowley are tied for second place in the UAA in offensive rebounds (3.1 orpg) … Senior Gebereal Baitey checks in with 112 career thefts,  good for a 17th-place tied  on the school's all-time ladder, and has recorded 32 contests with two or more steals … On the offensive end of the floor, Baitey has 10 double-figure scoring games this season (36 in his career) … Since the 2012-13 season, the Eagles are 114-7 when outshooting the opposition from the floor (15-1 in 2018-19, 16-1 in '17-18, 17-1 in '16-17, 12-3 in '15-16, 18-0 in '14-15) … During Jason Zimmerman's tenure as head coach, Emory stands 175-21 when leading at halftime (19-2 in 2018-19, 19-1, in '17-18, 13-0 in '16-17; 18-3 in 2015-16) … Emory is averaging 46.4 points during the first half of play and 46.0 over the final 20 minutes of action … Opponents are scoring at an average of 36.8 points in the first half and 42.9 points in the second half … The Eagles have won 42 of their last 43 games at the Woodruff PE Center against non-league foes with the only blemish coming earlier this year against Randolph-Macon (Nov. 25) … Emory is 105-13 (.890) over its last 118 home contests … The Eagles have recorded 100 or more points 54 times in program history and own a 48-6 won-lost record in those affairs … During Jason Zimmerman's tenure as head coach, Emory has 23 contests of 100 or more points and stands 21-2 in such games … The Eagles have outscored the opposition in 36 halves while being outpointed in 12 … Emory is tied for first in the UAA with an average of 7.3 steals per game and has turned in three contests with double-figure thefts including a season-high 15 vs. LaGrange (Dec. 5) … Matt Schner is fifth in the conference in steals average (1.4 spg) while Gebereal Baitey is seventh (1.3 spg) … The Eagles have scored 50 or more points in a half on 15 occasions, and their 68 first-half points against Carnegie Mellon (Jan. 20) represented the highest total by a Zimmerman-coached team … Emory enjoys a 373-282 edge in the points-off-turnovers category … Emory has led by 10 or more points at halftime in 14 contests … The Eagles are No. 1 in the UAA in scoring margin (+12.4) … Romin Williams saw a 17-game three-point field goal streak (tying 13th-longest in school history) come to an end in the Oswego State game (Dec. 29).