Senior Savannah Morgan scored 20 points to lead four double-figure scorers and the Emory women's basketball team played tough down the stretch in earning a big road win Friday evening over Carnegie Mellon.  The Eagles boosted their overall record to 16-5, 5-5 in the University Athletic Association following an 87-76 decision over the Tartans who slipped to 11-10 overall, 2-8 in the league.

Morgan ended the evening sinking seven-of-11 from the floor, including three three-point field goals in five attempts, in registering her sixth performance of 20 or more points this year.  Morgan scored 11 second-half points and knocked down a pair of clutch triples over the final 6:16 of the game to help Emory to the win.   Morgan also doled out seven assists and contributed a pair of steals on the night.  Freshman Shellie Kaniut came through with her third straight double-digit scoring effort, chipping in a season-high tying 15 points, hitting five-of-seven from the floor, which included a pair of treys.   Senior Selena Castillo and freshman Fran Sweeney rounded out the double-figure scorers with 14 and 12 points, respectively, with Sweeney's total the result of a season-high four three-point field goals.  

Emory concluded the contest with a 44.8 percent effort from the floor (30-of-67) and enjoyed a fair amount of success from long range, converting 12 triples, its second-highest mark of the season, in 28 opportunities.   The Eagles picked up the pace in their shooting from the field over the final 20 minutes of action, draining 53.3 percent (16-of-30) of their attempts, including 50 percent (8-of-16) from three-point range.  CMU closed out the contest successful on 45.3 percent from the field (29-of-64), but struggled from three-point range hitting just four-of-14.  The Tartans enjoyed a wide 50-31 advantage on the glass but that was negated by their 26 turnovers.

Emory held a slim 72-70 lead with 4:07 left in the game following a basket by CMU's Lisa Murphy before asserting its will with a 14-4 run to bolt to an 86-74 lead with just 36 ticks on the clock remaining.   Morgan and Castillo started the decisive stretch with back-to-back triples while sophomore Ilene Tsao also added a three-pointer in the spurt.   The Eagles faced a five-point deficit earlier in the half, 49-44, but responded with a 12-2 scoring spree, with Sweeney and Morgan hitting three pointers in that stretch, to take a 56-51 lead with 11:48 left in the contest.   The Tartans knotted the score at 59-59 with 10:36 left but a basket by sophomore Sarah Arington gave Emory the lead for good with 10:13 left.

The Tartans' Murphy led all players with 28 points and tied for game honors with 13 rebounds.

Carnegie Mellon used a 9-1 run over the final 4:43 of the opening stanza to take a 40-39 edge into halftime.  The Tartans connected on 44.1 percent of their field goal tries (15-of-34) while the Eagles hit 37.8 percent (14-of-37) from the floor.   Emory broke an 18-18 deadlock, rattling off a 9-2 burst, with Morgan scoring four points in that stretch, to take a 27-20 lead with 8:00 left in the half.  A three pointer by Sweeney, who knocked down three triples during the opening 20 minutes, staked Emory to a 33-28 advantage with 6:19 on the clock.  After a pair of charity tosses by CMU's Liza Otto, a pair of free throws by Tsao followed by a bucket by Castillo, stretched Emory's lead to 37-31.   Both Morgan and Sweeney totaled nine points in the half while the Tartans' Lisa Murphy paced all players with 14 points.

Emory returns to action on Sunday afternoon when it plays at Case Western Reserve University.