EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL PLACE TWO ON ALL-UAA TEAMS

(Mar. 5) - Two members of the 2008-09 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.

Juniors Anthony Fernandez (Miami, FL) and Chad Hixon (Snellville, GA) were the Eagles' representatives, with both players capturing honorable-mention recognition.

The 6-foot-4 Fernandez appeared in all 25 Emory contests, 14 as a starter, and averaged a team-high 14.0 points, good for ninth place among UAA players.  He scored in double figures on 15 occasions and registered seven performances of 20 or more points.  He either led or shared for team scoring honors in 12 games and claimed that distinction in the rebounding department a total of five times.  Fernandez ended the year No. 2 on the team and 15th in the league in rebounding with a 4.9 per-game effort.  He connected on 81.4 percent of his free throw opportunities (70-of-86) which ranked fourth on the UAA chart.  In league action only, he tossed in 12.5 points per outing, 12th on the league's ladder, while his 83.7 percent mark from the charity stripe (36-of-43), placed him fifth among UAA cagers.

Hixon, a starter in 21 of 25 games, averaged a team-leading 27.2 minutes per outing and ended the season No. 2 on the squad in scoring (9.9 ppg) and first in rebounding with his 6.2 per-game showing in that category placing him third in the league. He enjoyed a strong second half of the season, registering 10 double-figure scoring contests in the last 11 games, while posting double digits a total of 16 times.  He either led or shared for team scoring honors on seven occasions including a season-high 20 points against Carnegie Mellon (Jan. 30).  He paced the Eagles in rebounds in 12 games, including six of the last seven contests of the year.  In conference action only, he averaged 11.4 points per game, second on the club and tied for 13th on the league chart, while his 6.0 rebounds per game ranked fourth.

EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM ENDS CAMPAIGN WITH LOSS AGAINST CASE

(Feb. 28) -  The Emory men's basketball team saw a rally from a 21-point first-half deficit fall short against Case Western Reserve University on Saturday afternoon in the season finale for both programs.  Emory closed out the campaign with an overall mark of 7-18, 2-12 in the University Athletic Association following a 76-65 loss to the Spartans who ended their season at 8-17 overall, 5-9 in the league.

Case got out the blocks quickly, sinking six of its first seven shots in surging to a 14-0 lead four minutes into the contest.  The Spartans later used a 7-0 run to assume a 27-6 advantage with 11:10 remaining in the opening stanza.  Case still led by an 18-point margin, 35-17, following a three-point field goal by Reid Anderson with 6:29 left, but Emory regrouped and battled back into the game by closing out the half on a 13-2 blitz to narrow the gap to seven points, 37-30, heading into halftime.  Junior Anthony Fernandez scored eight of 14 first-half points in that stretch while junior Chad Hixon added four.  Despite shooting just 28.2 percent from the floor during the opening 20 minutes of play, Emory stayed within striking distance thanks to a 14-6 bulge in offensive rebounding that led to an 11-2 edge in second-chance points.

The Spartans streaked to a 17-point cushion eight minutes into the second half thanks to a 17-7 scoring spree that pushed the score to 56-39. Emory once again displayed its season-long mettle and countered with a 12-2 run of its own to trail by seven points, 58-51, with 7:46 on the clock.  The Eagles continued their run and when Fernandez hit a jumper with 5:45 remaining they were down by just four points, 63-59.  However, that would be as close as Emory would get as Case used back-to-back three pointers to stake itself to a 10-point lead with 4:36 left.  The Spartans would eventually build a 15-point margin with 2:17 remaining en route to picking up the win.

Fernandez led the Emory scoring effort with 22 points, hitting nine-of-18 from the field and all four of his free throw opportunities. It was his 15th double-figure scoring performance of the season and seventh of 20 or more points.  Hixon finished the contest with 14 points along with a game-high nine rebounds.  Hixon closed out the campaign by pacing the Eagles in rebounding in the last four and in a total of 12 contests this year.

Case's Anderson led all players with 28 points, knocking down nine-of-14 from the floor, including four-of-nine from beyond the arc.  

Emory shot 32.9 percent from the floor (25-of-76) while the visiting Spartans sank 45.2 percent of their attempts (28-of-62).  Case used the trey ball to its advantage, hitting 10-of-27 from distance compared to Emory's two-of-14. 

The Senior Day game closed out the Emory careers of both John and Ryan Kresse.  John, a three-year member of the program, scored five points and dished out three assists in 17 minutes of play while Ryan, a four-year player, grabbed one rebound in a seven-minute stint.

EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL WINDS UP 2008-09 SEASON

(Feb. 25) - GAME FACTS -  The Emory men's basketball team plays its final game of the 2008-09 season on Saturday (Feb. 28) when it hosts Case Western Reserve University.  The contest against the Spartans will be Senior Day with the Eagles recognizing the contributions of John and Ryan Kresse along with student manager Ben Wright.  Tip is slated for noon.

THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is second-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson, '94). 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).

In his sixth season at the helm of the Case program is Sean McDonnell (Boston  College, 1996).  Prior to his stint at Case, he served as the head coach at Hiram College for three years.

2008-09 RECORDS - Emory meets Case with an overall record of 7-17, 2-11 in UAA action.  The Eagles split a pair of UAA road games last weekend, dropping a 65-54 decision to Brandeis before coming away with an exciting 80-79 double-overtime victory at New York University. 

Case stands 7-17 in overall play and 4-9 in league contests.   The Spartans came out on the short end of a pair of road games last weekend, 80-63 to NYU and 108-78 to Brandeis.

SERIES RECORDS -  In a series that started in January of 1987, Case holds a 17-16 edge in the all-time series against Emory.  The Spartans took their one-game advantage following a 74-66 win in Cleveland earlier this year.  Emory claims a 9-6 mark against Case in games played on its home floor.

NOTES - Junior Chad Hixon continued his consistent scoring ways over the weekend, totaling a team-high 11 points vs. Brandeis before recording 15 points (second high on the squad) against NYU ... Hixon has posted double-figure scoring in 15 games this year and in nine of his last 10 outings ... In his last five performances, the 6-foot-2 Hixon is tossing in 13.0 points and shooting 41.6 percent (24-of-52)  from the floor ... Hixon also topped the Eagles in rebounding in both affairs, pulling down 10 boards against Brandeis (his second double-double of the year) and nine vs. NYU ...  Hixon leads the team in rebounding with a 6.1 per-game mark, good for the No. 3 spot among UAA players ... Freshman Alex Gulotta averaged 9.0 points in his two outings last weekend, including a 12-point afternoon against NYU, his fifth double-figure scoring performance of the year ... Gulotta knocked down six-of-14 from three-point range (42.8%) in the two games and has treys to his credit in his last six appearances ... His late-season surge has placed him among the top 15 players in the conference in three-point field goal percentage (.357) ... Emory held Brandeis to 34.7 percent from the floor, the second-lowest opponent total this season and the fourth time that the opposition had shot less than 40 percent against the Eagles ... While Emory outshot Brandeis from the field (43.9% vs. 34.7%), the Judges countered by sinking 28-of-33 from the charity stripe, the fifth time in conference play this season that an opponent had attempted 30 or more free throws ... Emory concluded the NYU contest with a 47-36 edge in rebounding, the seventh time this year that it grabbed 10 or more rebounds that the opposition and its biggest differential in a UAA contest ... Junior Anthony Fernandez registered his 14th game of double-figure scoring this year with a team-high 19-point afternoon against  NYU. ... Fernandez is averaging 13.7 points per game, tops on the club and tied for eighth in the UAA ... The 6-foot-4 Fernandez has connected on 80.5 percent (66-of-82) from the charity stripe, good for a fourth-place deadlock on the league's ladder ...Fernandez had led or shared for the team's scoring lead in 11 contests this year ... Freshman Austin Claunch doled out 13 assists and had no turnovers in 65 minutes of play ...  Claunch's nine assists in the NYU game represented a personal best and is the high-water mark by an Emory player this year ... Claunch ranks ninth in the UAA in assists (2.5 apg) ... Sophomore Julien Williams grabbed seven rebounds in both games last weekend and has seven performances of six or more boards this year ... Senior John Kresse is fifth among UAA players with a 3.7 per-game assists average ... He has registered five or more assists in nine games this season and in 21 of his 72 career outings at Emory ... Kresse heads into the weekend's action with 215 career assists, good for sixth place on the school's all-time ladder ... Emory is No. 3 in the UAA in free throw percentage (.734) ... Emory has had players score in double figures on 60 occasions compared to 82 for opponents.

EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM POSTS DOUBLE-OVERTIME WIN AGAINST NYU

(Feb. 22) -  Junior Anthony Fernandez scored a team-high 19 points to pace four double-figure scorers in leading the Emory men's basketball team to a double-overtime victory at New York University Sunday afternoon.  The Eagles raised their overall mark to 7-17, 2-11 in the University Athletic Association following an 80-79 decision over the Violets who slipped to 15-9 in overall action, 4-9 in the league.

Fernandez sank seven-of-14 from the floor and five-of-seven from the charity stripe while adding five rebounds.  Junior Chad Hixon totaled 15 and grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.  Rounding out the team's double-figure scorers were freshmen Alex Gulotta and Austin Claunch with 12 and 11 points, respectively.  Claunch also doled out a season-high nine assists in the triumph.

Emory trailed by three points in the first overtime, 70-67, with 1:41 remaining but a three-point field goal by Gulotta with 30 seconds remaining knotted the scored and forced the second extra session.  The Violets went ahead by a point early on but a trey by sophomore Julien Williams with 3:19 on the clock put the Eagles ahead for good.  Emory stretched its lead to four points less than a minute later when Hixon came through with a bucket.  A pair free throws by both Fernandez and Claunch down the stretch helped seal the win for Emory.

Emory shot 43.9 percent from the floor (29-of-66) and 75.0 percent from the foul line (15-of-20) with its performance from the charity stripe a big factor in the outcome as NYU was able to convert only 12-of-25.  The Eagles pounded the boards hard and finished with a 47-36 edge in rebounding. 

Emory closes out the season next Saturday (Feb. 28) with a home game against Case Western Reserve starting at noon.

EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM EDGED AT BRANDEIS

(Feb. 20) -  Brandeis University junior Kenny Small scored a game-high 18 points to paced three double-figure scorers in a win over Emory University Friday evening.  The Judges upped their overall mark to 15-8, 8-4 in the University Athletic Association following a 65-54 win over the Eagles who slipped to 6-17 in overall play, 1-11 in the league.

Emory outshot the host Judges from the field, 42.0 percent (21-of-50) to 34.7 percent (17-of-49), and finished the contest with a 33-29 edge in rebounding.  However, Brandeis accounted for 20 more points from the foul line than Emory, sinking 28-of-33 from the charity stripe while the Eagles converted eight-of-nine.  The Judges knocked down 17-of-20 of their free throw attempts during the second half of action. 

Emory trailed by just one point, 38-37, with 14:51 remaining in the game following a bucket by junior Chad Hixon, but Brandeis rattled off a 15-4 burst over the next five minutes to take a 53-41 advantage with 9:58 left. A trey by freshman Austin Claunch got the Eagles to within nine points, 61-52, with 4:39 on the clock but Emory could only generate only two more points the rest of the way.

Hixon led Emory with 11 points along with a game-high 10 rebounds, his second double-double of the campaign.  Hixon has scored in double digits in 14 games this season and in eight of his last nine outings.  Juniors Daniel Curtin and Anthony Fernandez along with sophomore Julien Williams all recorded eight points in the cause.

In a closely played first half that saw a total of eight lead changes and five ties, Brandeis ended the first half with a 30-28 edge.  Emory's biggest lead of the opening 20 minutes of action came with 3:42 remaining when freshman Alex Gulotta knocked down his second three pointer of the game to give the Eagles a 25-20 lead.  However, the Judges closed out the stanza on a 10-3 run to take the lead into the locker room.  Emory outshot the home team, 40.7 percent (11-of-27) to 37.5 percent (9-of-24) and held an 18-14 edge on the glass.  Brandeis countered by sinking 11-of-13 from the charity stripe while the Eagles converted three of their four opportunities.  Gulotta and Fernandez paced the team's scoring attack with six points apiece in the half.

Emory returns to action on Sunday when it plays at New York University.

EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL MAKES FINAL UAA ROAD TRIPS OF
SEASON

GAME FACTS -  The Emory men's basketball team makes its final road swing of the 2008-09 season this weekend when its plays UAA road games at Brandeis University and New York University.  Auberbach Arena on the Brandeis campus will serve as the venue for Emory's Friday (Feb. 20) night game with tip slated for 8:00 p.m.  On Sunday, the Eagles will battle the Violets of NYU at the Coles Sports Center starting at 11:00 a.m.

THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is second-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson, '94). 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).

In his sixth season at the helm of the Brandeis program is Brian Meehan (Clark University, 1986).  Prior to his stint with the Judges, he served as the head coach at Salem State College for seven seasons.

Joe Nesci  (Brooklyn College, 1979) is in his 21st year as head coach at NYU.  Prior to a Friday night home contest vs. Case Western, Nesci has compiled a school and career mark of 367-172. 

2008-09 RECORDS - Emory begins the weekend with an overall record of 6-16, 1-10 in UAA action.  The Eagles came out on the short end of a pair of hotly contested home outings last weekend, dropping a 71-68 verdict against No. 2-ranked Washington University and a 53-51 decision to Chicago.

Brandeis hosts Emory with an overall slate of 14-8, 7-4 in the University Athletic Association.  The Judges are coming off a productive weekend with road victories at Carnegie Mellon (66-63) and Rochester (80-63). 

NYU starts play this weekend sporting a 14-8 overall mark, 3-8 in the league.  The Violets split a pair of road games last weekend, topping Rochester by an 86-72 count before losing to Carnegie Mellon, 79-73.

 SERIES RECORDS -  In a series that started in January of 1988, Brandeis holds a 24-19 edge in the all-time series against Emory. The Judges have captured the last 11 meetings between the schools including a 76-63 decision earlier this season in Atlanta. Brandeis has claimed 14 of the 21 games played on its home floor.

In a series that began in December of 1986, NYU claims an all-time mark of 30-14 vs. Emory.  The Violets have won the last five games of the series including a tight 57-55 victory earlier this year at Emory.  NYU is 16-6 vs. Emory in games played on its home court.

NOTES - Junior Chad Hixon tied for team scoring honors with 12 points against Washington University before recording a team-high 13 points against Chicago  ... Hixon has posted double-figure scoring in 13 games this year and in seven of his last eight outings ... In his last three performances, the 6-foot-2 Hixon is tossing in 13.0 points and shooting 51.7 percent (15-of-29)  from the floor ... Hixon is also getting it done on the boards where his 5.8 per-game mark leads the squad and is tied for fourth among UAA players ... Emory held Chicago to 35.5 percent field goal shooting on Sunday, the second-lowest opponent total this season ... The Eagles turned the ball over 10 times in the Chicago game, their second-lowest mark of the year ... Junior Anthony Fernandez registered his 13th game of double-figure scoring of the campaign with a 12-point evening against Wash U. ... Fernandez is averaging 13.7 points per game, tops on the club and 10th in the UAA ... The 6-foot-4 Fernandez has connected on 81.3 percent (61-of-75) from the charity stripe, fifth on the league's ladder ...Four of Emory's 10 conference setbacks have been by five or fewer points ... Freshman Austin Claunch logged a season-long 23 minutes in the Chicago contest and picked up seven points along with a season-high six boards ...  Sophomore Julien Williams finished with 12 points in the Wash U. contest, his fifth performance this season of 10 or more points ... Senior John Kresse is fifth among UAA players with a 3.8 per-game assists average ... He has registered five or more assists in nine games this season and in 21 of his 70 career outings at Emory ... Kresse heads into the weekend's action with 211 career assists, good for sixth place on the school's all-time ladder ... Emory is No. 3 in the UAA in free throw percentage (.730) ... Freshman Eric Panicco recorded back-to-back games of a season-high 25 minutes in each games last weekend ... Emory has had players score in double figures on 55 occasions compared to 75 for opponents.

EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL DROPS HARD-FOUGHT DECISION TO CHICAGO

(Feb. 15) - University of Chicago junior Jake Pancratz hit a three-point field goal with 1.2 seconds left to erase a one-point Emory lead and spark the Maroons to a win at the Woodruff PE Center on Sunday.  Chicago saw its record to go 5-17 overall, 5-6 in the University Athletic Association after escaping with a 53-51 win over the Eagles who slipped to 6-16 overall, 1-10 in the league.

Pancratz's heroics negated another determined second-half rally by the Emory squad.  The Eagles trailed by 12 points, 49-37, with 7:08 left in the contest before putting the defensive clamps on the visitors and running off 12 straight points to tie the contest at 49-49 apiece with 2:05 on the clock. Emory saw five players score in the comeback, including four points by junior Chad Hixon who finished the contest with a team-high 13 points.  After UC's Adam Machone snapped the tie with a free throw, the Eagles took their first lead since the midway point of the first half when a layup by Hixon gave them a 51-50 edge with 48 ticks left in the game.  Each team missed scoring chances before a tough offensive foul call on Emory gave Chicago the ball back with five seconds left, setting the stage for Pancratz's dramatic shot.

Hixon hit four-of-eight from the floor and five-of-six from the charity stripe en route to his 14th double-figure scoring effort of the campaign and seventh in the last eight outings.  Hixon also finished the afternoon with a team-high seven rebounds.  Junior Anthony Fernandez was the other Eagle to notch double figures with 10 points.

Emory shot 38.3 percent (18-of-47) from the floor while Chicago finished with a mark of 35.5 percent (22-of-62).  Neither team shot extremely well from three-point range with the Eagles successful on just one-of-eight and Chicago six-of-28 from beyond the arc.  The Maroons, who were led in scoring by Pancratz's 12 points, ended the game with a 39-33 advantage in the rebounding department.

Emory returns to action next Friday (Feb. 20) when it plays at Brandeis University in an 8:00 tip.

EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL EDGED BY NO. 2 WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY  

(Feb. 13) - The Emory University men's basketball nearly pulled off an amazing comeback Friday evening but fell short in its attempt to upend No. 2-ranked Washington University in a game played at the Woodruff PE Center.  Wash U., won its 11th straight game and raised its overall record to 20-1, 10-0 in the University Athletic Association following its 71-68 squeaker against Emory which fell to 6-15 overall, 1-9 in the conference.

Emory trailed by a 15-point margin with 8:25 left in the game, and still faced a 10-point deficit with less than a minute remaining before staging a furious rally. A pair of free throws by freshman Austin Claunch with 49 ticks on the clock cut the gap to eight points before a bucket by Claunch cut the Bears' edge to 69-63 with 37 seconds left.  Following a Wash U., turnover, junior Daniel Curtin calmly sank three free throws to draw the Eagles to within 69-66 with 19 seconds remaining.  Following a Bears' free throw, Curtin drove to the hoop and scored to keep the Eagles alive and down by just two points with 11 seconds left.  Aaron Thompson increased the visitor's lead to three points after a make from the charity stripe but misfired on his second attempt.  Emory grabbed the rebound with four seconds left but Tyler Nading stepped in and stole the outlet pass to seal the game for the Bears.

Junior Chad Hixon and sophomore Julien Williams tied for Emory team scoring honors with 12 points apiece.  It marked Hixon's 12th effort this season of double-digit production and sixth in his last seven outings.  Claunch added nine points along with three assists and two steals.  Freshman Corey Spraggins topped all Eagles with six boards.

Nading totaled game highs with 20 points and nine boards to spark the Bears' attack.  Sean Wallis contributed 13 points and six assists while Aaron Thompson and Zach Kelley rounded out Wash U's double-figure scorers with 11 and 10 points, respectively.

In a closely played first half that saw each club hold a five-point point lead at one point in the stanza, the teams battled to a 34-34 draw heading into intermission.  Hixon scored eight points during the stanza and helped Emory shoot 47.6 percent (10-of-21) compared to the Bears' mark of 38.5 percent (10-of-26).  With the scored knotted at 40-40, Wash U. used a 16-4 burst to take a 56-44 lead with 12:34 on the clock.  The Bears eventually enjoyed its biggest lead of the game when it held a 63-48 cushion.  Facing a 65-51 uphill climb with 7:47 on the clock, the Eagles held the visitors scoreless for over five minutes while going on an 8-0 spurt that was capped when Williams buried a three pointer to cut the margin to six points, 65-59 with 3:36 left.  However, Wash U. scored the next four points to put the lead back to 10 points and set the stage for Emory's final charge.

The Bears held a slight edge in field goal shooting, 46.3 percent to 46.0 percent and converted eight treys to Emory's four. 

Emory returns to action on Sunday when it entertains the University of Chicago in a noon tip.

EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL HOSTS UAA FOES

(Feb. 11) - GAME FACTS -  The Emory men's basketball team returns to the Woodruff PE Center this weekend when it entertains a pair of University Athletic Association opponents.  On Friday, the Eagles entertain defending Division III national champion Washington University in an 8:00 p.m. start.  Emory then battles the University of Chicago on Sunday in a noon start. This weekend's encounters will recognize the 25th anniversary of the Woodruff PE Center.

THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is second-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson, '94). 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).

In his 28th season of calling the shots at Washington University is Mark Edwards (Washington University, 1969).  Heading into Friday's action,  Edwards has compiled a school and career won-lost record of 496-234.  He directed the Bears to the NCAA Division III national title in 2007-08 and has notched 20 or more wins on 10 occasions.

Mike McGrath  (DePauw, 1992) is in his 10th year as head coach at Chicago.  Prior to a Friday night contest at Case Western, McGrath has compiled a school and career mark of 156-96.  Named the UAA Coach of the Year in 2007-08, he has guided the program to four conference titles.

2008-09 RECORDS - Emory begins the weekend with an overall record of 6-14, 1-8 in UAA action.  The Eagles came out on the short end of a pair of  road contests last weekend, dropping a 73-65 verdict against Rochester and an 88-61 decision to Carnegie Mellon.

Washington University, ranked No. 2 nationally by D3hoops.com, has won its last 10 games and will meet Emory with an overall record of 19-1, 9-0 in the UAA.  The Bears
are coming off 73-55 and 82-57 victories against New York University and Brandeis, respectively, last weekend.

After dropping its first 12 games of the year, Chicago has split its last eight performances and will play Case with a 4-16 overall slate of 4-16, 4-5 in the league.  Last weekend, the Maroons defeated Brandeis, 90-81, and New York University, 74-69.

SERIES RECORDS -  Washington University holds a 35-8 bulge in the all-time series with Emory and has won the last six meetings between the schools including a 79-58 triumph earlier this season (Jan. 18) in Saint Louis.  

In a series that began in January of 1987, Chicago claims an all-time mark of 31-13 vs. Emory.  The Maroons have been come away with wins in the last seven contests including this year's 55-50 decision (Jan. 16) in Chicago.  The Eagles show a 9-12 mark against Chicago in games played on their home floor.

NOTES - Freshman Alex Gulotta put together back-to-back games of double-figure scoring over the weekend, picking up 11 points against Rochester before totaling a team-high 15 points at Carnegie Mellon ...  Gulotta converted 50 percent of his field goal attempts (8-of-16) including 53.8 percent (7-of-13) from three-point range ... Gulotta has four games of double-digit point production to his credit this season ... Junior Chad Hixon paced the Eagles in rebounding in both outings over the weekend, recording seven boards against Rochester and eight vs. Carnegie Mellon ... The 6-foot-2 Hixon has led or shared for team honors in rebounding in eight games this year ... Hixon came through with 14 points against CMU, his 11th showing of double-figure scoring and fifth in his last six outings ... Hixon leads squad and is eighth on the UAA ladder in rebounding (5.8 rpg) ... Junior Anthony Fernandez chalked up a team-high 19 points against Rochester, his 12th double-figure scoring game of the year ... Fernandez has either led or shared for team scoring honors on 10 occasions this year and his team-leading 14.3 points per game average places him ninth among UAA players ... Emory saw a seven-game streak of shooting 70 percent or better from the foul line end in the Rochester contest ...  Emory is No. 3 in the UAA in free throw percentage (.732) ... Junior Daniel Curtin is tied with Seun Abolaji (2000-01, '02-03) for 12th place on the school's all-time list with 82 three-point field goals ... Curtin has recorded two or more treys in 12 games this year ... Emory has outshot eight opponents from the floor and sports a 5-3 record in those games ...  Senior John Kresse is fifth among UAA players with a 4.1 per-game assists average ... He has registered five or more assists in nine games this season and in 21 of his 68 career outings at Emory ... Kresse heads into the weekend's action with 208 career assists, good for sixth place on the school's all-time ladder ... Emory has had players score in double figures on 51 occasions compared to 70 for opponents ... Emory has grabbed 10 or more rebounds than the opposition in six games this year compared to last year's total of five.

EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM DROPS ROAD GAME AT NO. 23 CARNEGIE MELLON

(Feb. 8) -  Carnegie Mellon's Jack Anderson paced four double-figure scorers with 20 points in helping the Tartans to a win over Emory on Sunday afternoon.  The No. 23-ranked Carnegie squad boosted its overall record to 16-4, 6-3 in the University Athletic Association, following an 88-61 decision over the Eagles who slipped to 6-14 overall, 1-8 in the league.

Emory freshman Alex Gulotta led the Eagles' scoring attack with a season-high 15 points, his fourth double-figure scoring performance of the year.  Gulotta knocked down four three-point field goals and three-of-five from the foul line en route to his final point total.  Junior Chad Hixon rounded out Emory's double-digit producers with 14 points while snaring a team-high eight rebounds.

Carnegie Mellon finished the contest shooting 42.6 percent from the floor (26-of-61) while the Eagles turned in a showing of 36.2 percent (21-of-58).  The Tartans were successful from three-point range, draining 10-of-19 (.526) from beyond the arc compared the Emory's 43.8 percent showing (7-of-16).   CMU enjoyed a wide edge in free throw shooting, sinking 26-of-34 opportunities compared to the Eagles' total of 12-of-23.   The Tartans outrebounded Emory by a 43-38 count and enjoyed a 21-7 bulge in the points off turnovers category.

In the first half, the Tartans used a 14-4 spurt over a four-minute stretch that extended a nine-point edge into a 38-19 lead with 4:31 remaining.  The Eagles eventually cut the gap to 44-29 at the intermission.  Anderson totaled 12 points for the Tartans in the opening 20 minutes while Corey O'Rouke produced 11 of his 16 points in the stanza.  Emory actually outshot the hosts, 46.2 percent (12-of-26) to 38.7 percent (12-of-31) but saw CMU convert 17-of-23 from the foul line compared its showing of two-of-three.

Emory returns to action next Friday (Feb. 13) when it hosts defending Division III national champ Washington University in an 8:00 p.m. start.

EMORY'S JOHN KRESSE NAMED  FIRST TEAM ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT  

(Feb. 7) - Emory University senior  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 first-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 3.3 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 3.90 grade-point average.  He has been a solid contributor on the court, starting all 19 Emory contests to date and averaging 25.9 minutes (second high on the team), 6.4 points while doling out a team-high 4.20 assists per game, good for fifth place among UAA players through games played Feb. 6.  Kresse has either led or shared for team honors in assists in 14 games this season and has produced two double-figure scoring contests.  Career-wise, Kresse stands sixth on Emoy's all-time list with 207 assists. Kresse was a second-team district pick during the 2007-08 season.

By virtue of his first-team nod to the District Team, Kresse becomes eligible for Academic All-America honors. That team will be announced on Feb. 25.

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 TEAM EDGED AT ROCHESTER


(Feb. 6) -  University of Rochester's Mike Chmielowiec scored a career-high 36 points and the Yellowjackets held off a furious second-half Emory rally to escape with a win Friday evening.  The Yellowjackets raised their overall record to 14-5, 5-3 in the University Athletic Association following a 73-65 win over Emory which slipped to 6-13 overall, 1-7 in the league.

Emory trailed by a 17-point margin, 54-37, with 11:40 left in the game before staging a comeback bid that saw it draw to within four points, 69-65, with 20 seconds remaining. The Eagles made a big dent in UR's advantage with a 17-7 rally that sliced a 57-41 Yellowjackets' bulge to 64-58 with 2:37 left.  Freshman Alex Gulotta keyed the burst with eight points, and junior Anthony Fernandez with four.  Another basket by Fernandez with 20 ticks on the clocks kept the Eagles' hopes alive at 69-65 but UR held on for the win.

Fernandez paced the Eagles' scoring attack with 19 points, his 12th double-figure performance of the campaign, while Gulotta contributed 11, his third double-digit outing of the year. For the game, Emory shot 49 percent from the floor (27-of-55) and held the host UR squad to 39.5 percent (19-of-48).  While the Eagles had the better of it in that department, they were hampered by untimely free throw shooting, hitting just five-of-16 attempts while the Yellowjackets converted 29-of-38.  Emory finished with a slight 30-27 edge in rebounding.

Both teams were slow in getting untracked offensively early on with Emory sinking three-of-10 from the floor and the Yellowjackets just two-of-nine as the hosts held a 10-9 lead with 12 minutes left in the first half.  Rochester then went on a 22-8 run to take a 32-17 lead with 4:45 left in the stanza.  Keying the run for UR was Chmielowiec who totaled 15 of his 24 first-half points in that stretch.  Chmielowiec converted seven-of-11 from the field, three-of-six from three-point range, and all seven of his free throw attempts during the opening 20 minutes of play.  Emory bounced back in fine form from the double-digit obstacle and outscored UR by an 11-4 count over the remainder of the half to cut the gap to 36-28 heading into halftime.  Fernandez picked up 10 points in the first half, sinking four-of-five from the field including a pair of three-point field goal attempts. 

Emory returns to action on Sunday when it plays at No. 23 Carnegie Mellon University.

EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL HITS THE ROAD AGAINST ROCHESTER
AND CARNEGIE MELLON

GAME FACTS -  After hosting Carnegie Mellon and the University of Rochester last weekend, the Emory men's basketball team turns around and meets those two squads this Friday and Sunday on the road.  On Friday, the Eagles battle the Yellowjackets of UR in an 8:00 p.m. start before tangling with Carnegie Mellon on Sunday with tip slated for noon.

THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is second-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson, '94). 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).

In his 33rd season of guiding the fortunes at the University of Rochester is Mike Neer (Washington & Lee, 1979).  Heading into Friday evening's encounter against Emory,  Neer has a school and career won-lost performance of 545-313.  He has directed the Yellowjackets to 12 NCAA Tournament appearances.

Tony Wingen  (Springfield, 1982) is in his 19th year as head coach at Carnegie Mellon.  Prior to hosting Case Western on Friday,  Wingen has compiled a school record of 223-244.   In 21 campaigns as a head coach, which includes a two-year stint at Sewanee, Wingen posts a career ledger of 244-272.

2008-09 RECORDS - Emory begins the weekend with an overall record of 6-12, 1-6 in UAA action.  The Eagles split games against CMU and Rochester over the weekend, dropping a hard-fought 60-51 verdict to the Tartans before notching their first league win of the campaign with an 83-74 decision against UR.

Following a split last weekend, Rochester posts an overall effort of 13-5, 4-3 in UAA affairs.  Before losing the Emory, the Yellowjackets topped Case Western 78-75.  Rochester has compiled a 7-2 record on its home floor this season.

Carnegie Mellon, ranked 23rd in the nation by D3hoops.com, hosts Case on Friday with an overall slate of 14-4, 4-3 in UAA outings.  Following its win over the Eagles last Friday, the Tartans lost to the Spartans of Case, 75-67.

SERIES RECORDS -  Rochester enjoys a 27-16 advantage in the series with Emory.  The Yellowjackets have captured 17 of 21 games played on their home court against the Eagles.

In a series that began in November of 1987, Emory claims an all-time mark of 24-18 vs. Carnegie Mellon.  The Tartans stand 14-7 against Emory on their home floor and have won the last seven meetings played in Pittsburgh.

NOTES - Emory's 57-point second-half explosion against Rochester on Sunday was a season high and tied the high-water mark for any half by a Jason Zimmerman-coached Eagles squad ...  During the '07-08 season, Emory totaled 57 points in a half in home contests against Maryville and Oglethorpe ... Emory's 51.0 percent effort from the floor against Rochester boosted the team's record to 4-0 this season when connecting on 50 percent or better on its field goal opportunities, 11-2 while Zimmerman has been head coach ... The Eagles knocked down 86.7 percent from the foul line in the Rochester game, the best showing in a league outing this year and the club's second-highest effort overall of the season (91.3% vs. Sewanee on Dec. 9) ... Emory has hit 70 percent or better from the charity stripe in its last seven games and holds down the top spot in the UAA with a 76.7 percent showing in overall play ...  Junior Chad Hixon has scored in double figures in his last four contests, including a season-high 20 points against Carnegie Mellon, and is averaging 14.5 points per contest in that stretch ... Hixon has chalked up 10 games of double-digit point production this year ... Junior Daniel Curtin's game-high 22 points (16 coming in the second half) vs. Rochester represented his 11th double-figure scoring game of the year and second of 20 or more points ... Curtin hit four-of-six from three-point range against the Yellowjackets, the 12th time this season he had registered two or more treys in a game ... Curtin is tied with Terry Gorsuch (1987-91) for 13th place on the school's all-time list with 81 three-point field goals ... Emory has outshot seven opponents from the floor and sports a 5-2 record in those games ... Freshman Eric Panicco played a season-long 18 minutes against Rochester and produced a season-high 10 points ... Another freshman, Austin Claunch, chalked up a season-high 13 points, his first double-figure scoring performance of the year, in a 19-minute stint ... In 71 minutes of  action, over the course of the last three games, senior John Kresse has doled out 10 assists while turning the ball over on just one occasion ... Kresse is No. 3 among UAA players in assist/turnover ratio (+2.9) in overall play ... Kresse heads into the weekend's action with 202 career assists, good for sixth place on the school's all-time ladder ... He has registered five or more assists in eight games this season and in 20 of his 66 career outings at Emory ... Junior Anthony Fernandez's team-high 14.6 points per-game average ranks him seventh among league perfomers while his 5.4 per-game effort in rebounding places him 11th ... Fernandez has either led or shared for club honors in scoring in nine games this season ... Chad Hixon holds down the top position among Eagles in rebounds with a 5.6 per-game mark, tying him for ninth in the loop ... Emory has had players score in double figures on 47 occasions compared to 63 for opponents ... Emory has grabbed 10 or more rebounds than the opposition in six games this year compared to last year's total of five.

EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL SQUAD RALLIES FOR WIN OVER ROCHESTER

(Feb. 1) - Emory University junior Daniel Curtin scored 16 of his game-high 22 points in the second half and paced four double-figure scorers Sunday afternoon as the Eagles rallied for a win over the University of Rochester.  Emory increased its record to 6-12, 1-6 in the University Athletic Association following an 83-74 win over the Yellowjackets who slipped to 13-5 in overall play, 4-3 in the league.

Curtin sank five-of-seven from the floor, including four-of-five from three-point range over the final 20 minutes of action in posting his 11th double-figure scoring effort of the season and second of 20 or more points.  Curtin's effort sparked an explosive offensive effort by the Eagles in the second half as they outscored Rochester by a 57-41 margin, the highest point total by Emory in a half this year.  Freshman Austin Claunch played a key role in the win, recording all 13 of his points in the second half, finishing the contest four-of-five from the floor and four-of-four from the charity stripe.  Rounding out the double-digit point producers for the Eagles were junior Chad Hixon with 11 points and freshman Eric Panicco who gave the club a big boost off the bench with a season-high 10 points and three rebounds in 18 minutes of action.

For the game, Emory shot 51.0 percent from the floor, its best effort in a league game this season, and 50 percent (5-of-10) from beyond the arc. Rochester concluded the afternoon connecting on 45.8 percent (22-of-48) from the field and 30.8 percent (8-of-26) from three-point range.  UR held a 27-24 edge in rebounding but turned the ball over on 17 times compared to Emory's 12 miscues.  The Eagles' bench was a big factor in the outcome, totaling 56 points in the game.

Emory trailed by a 33-26 margin at halftime and the Yellowjackets built an 11-point cushion, 40-29, with 17:49 left in the game following a jumper by Colin Cubit.  The Eagles still trailed by double digits, 44-34, before a 9-2 run, with four players scoring buckets, to trim the gap to three points, 46-43, with 14:09 remaining.  Emory bounced back with a 7-0 spurt, keyed by a trey by Curtin sandwiched around a pair of baskets by Claunch, to wipe out a 56-50 deficit and take one-point lead with 9:38 left.  Rochester battled back and when Cubit drained a three pointer, the Yellowjackets reclaimed the lead, 64-62 with 7:33 remaining.  Emory then took control of the game, hitting four-of-six field goal opportunities, while outscoring the visitors by a 13-3 count over the next six minutes, to post a 75-67 edge with 1:32 left. Claunch accounted for four points in that stretch while junior Anthony Fernandez chipped in three points. Claunch and Hixon then accounted for the Eagles' next eight points over the remainder of the game with each sinking all four of their free throw opportunities to seal the outcome of the affair.   Emory was solid from the charity stripe all afternoon, sinking 86.7 percent (26-of-30) of its attempts, the second-highest mark thus year.

Emory returns to action next Friday (Feb. 6) when it plays at Rochester in an 8:00 p.m. start.

EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL DROPS HOME ENCOUNTER TO NO. 20 CARNEGIE MELLON

(Jan. 30) - Emory University junior Chad Hixon scored a personal high of 20 points and the Eagles nearly rallied from a double-digit second half deficit Friday before falling to No. 20-ranked Carnegie Mellon.  The Tartans upped their record to 14-3, 4-2 in the University Athletic Association following a 60-51 decision over Emory who slipped to 5-12 overall (0-6 UAA).

Hixon accounted for 13 points during the second half of play, hitting five-of-10 from the floor and both his free throw attempts.  For the game, he connected on eight-of-14 field goal opportunities and three-of-four from the charity stripe in notching his ninth double-figure scoring performance of the campaign.

For the game, CMU hit on 41.1 percent (23-of-56) from the field while Emory finished at 30.0 percent (18-of-60).  Both squads struggled from beyond the arc with the Tartans finishing at 25 percent (3-of-12) and the Eagles with a 16.7 percent (2-of-12) showing.

CMU led for the bulk of the first half and built a nine-point lead late in the stanza before the Eagles narrowed the gap to 30-24 at halftime.

After a bucket by sophomore Julien Williams drew Emory to within four points early in the second half, the Tartans went on a 12-4 run to take a 42-30 advantage with 12:19 on the clock.  CMU still held an 11-point bulge with 7:29 remaining before Hixon scored the game's next nine points to slice the deficit to two points with 4:59 left. A three-pointer by CMU's Ryan Einwag upped the visitor's lead to five points before a pair of charity tosses by Hixon made the score 52-49 in favor of the Tartans with 3:18 remaining.  However, that was as close as the Eagles would get for the remainder of the contest as CMU closed out the game with an 8-2 run.

Leading Carnegie Mellon in scoring was Jack Anderson with 14 points, one of three Tartans to finish in double figures. 

Emory returns to action on Sunday (Feb. 1) when it hosts Rochester in a noon tip.

EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TO HOST CARNEGIE MELLON AND
ROCHESTER

(Jan. 27) - GAME FACTS -  The Emory University men's basketball team continues the University Athletic Association portion of its schedule this weekend with a pair of home contests.  On Friday, the Eagles entertain Carnegie Mellon University in an 8:00 p.m. tip before battling the University of Rochester on Sunday starting at noon.

Both games will be webcast.  To access the webcast, go to http://www.go.emory.edu.

THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is second-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson, '94). 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).

Tony Wingen  (Springfield, 1982) is in his 19th year as head coach at Carnegie Mellon.  Heading into Friday's meeting against Emory, Wingen has compiled a school record of 222-243.   In 21 campaigns as a head coach, which includes a two-year stint at Sewanee, Wingen posts a career ledger of 243-271.

In his 33rd season of guiding the fortunes at the University of Rochester is Mike Neer (Washington & Lee, 1979).  Prior to a Friday evening contest at Case Western Reserve University, Neer has a school and career won-lost performance of 544-311.  He has directed the Yellowjackets to 12 NCAA Tournament appearances.

2008-09 RECORDS - Emory will start the weekend with an overall record of 5-11, 0-5 in UAA action.  The Eagles came out on the short end of a pair of conference home games last weekend, 57-55 to New York University and 76-63 to Brandeis. 

Carnegie Mellon, ranked 20th in the nation by D3hoops.com, invades the Woodruff PE Center with an overall record of 13-3, 3-2 in the league.  Last weekend, the Tartans split a pair of home contests, topping Chicago, 64-58, before falling to then No. 3 Washington University (now No. 2), 90-70. 

At the start of the week, Rochester claims an overall effort of 12-4, 3-2 in UAA affairs.
The Yellowjackets will play at Case Western Reserve University on Friday before heading to Atlanta.  Last weekend, UR lost to Wash U., 73-42, before bouncing back to claim a 70-60 victory over Chicago.

SERIES RECORDS -  In a series that began in November of 1987, Emory claims an all-time mark of 24-17 vs. Carnegie Mellon.  The teams split the series last year with the Eagles winning, 89-85, on their home floor and the Tartans registering a 78-70 win in Pittsburgh.

Rochester enjoys a 27-15 advantage in the series with Emory.  Last season, the Eagles recorded an 81-76 overtime victory over the No. 1-ranked Yellowjackets in Atlanta before UR came back with a 76-73 triumph on its home floor.  The Eagles have captured 11 of 20 contests played on their home court.

NOTES - Emory is averaging 32.5 points during the first half of play and 37.1 over the final 20 minutes of action and overtime ... Opponents are tossing in 34.5 points during the opening 20 minutes of play and 38.5 in the second half ... The Eagles are outrebounding the opposition by a 37.0-32.1 per-game margin and rank third among UAA teams in rebound margin (+4.9) ...  The Eagles have a 5-5 mark this year when outrebounding the opposition and stand 13-9 during Jason Zimmerman's tenure as head coach ... Emory has grabbed 10 or more rebounds than the opposition in six games this year compared to last year's total of five ... Junior Anthony Fernandez's 23 points against Brandeis was his 11th double-figure scoring performance of the season and sixth of 20 or more points ... Fernandez also snagged a team-best 11 rebounds, his third outing of double-figure boards this year ... Heading into the weekend, the 6-foot-4 Fernandez has either led or shared for the team's scoring lead in nine games this year ... Junior Chad Hixon has scored in double figures in three of the last four and in a total of eight contests ... Hixon's 16 points against NYU, tied him for the club's scoring lead and was a season-high tying performance ... Senior John Kresse has registered five or more assists in eight games this season and in 20 of his 64 career outings at Emory ... Kresse heads into the weekend's action with 198 career assists, good for seventh place on the school's all-time chart ... Kresse is four assists shy of moving past Jordan Luftig (1993-97) and into sixth place ... Sophomore Scott Azaroff pulled down a career-high nine rebounds in the NYU game ... Junior Daniel Curtin knocked down two three-point field goals against NYU, his 11th effort of two or more treys this season ... Curtin heads into the Carnegie Mellon game in 15th place on the school's all-time chart with 77 treys, three shy of tying Jonathan Sack (1993-97) for 14th position ... After five conference games, opponents have attempted 12 8 free throws while Emory has stepped to the stripe 71 times ... Emory leads all UAA teams in overall play with a 76.0 percent mark (215-of-283) from the foul line ... Fernandez stands seventh on the UAA chart in scoring average with a 15.5 per-game average and holds down the No. 5 spot in free throw percentage (.825) ... John Kresse is dishing out 4.1 assists per game, good for fifth among UAA cagers ... Hixon tops the team and is deadlocked for eighth place in the UAA in rebounding (5.8 rpg) ... Emory has had players score in double figures on 42 occasions compared to 56 for opponents.

EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL SQUAD DROPS HOME CONTEST TO BRANDEIS

(Jan. 25) - The Emory men's basketball team received a game-high 23 points and 11 rebounds from junior Anthony Fernandez but it wasn't enough as the Eagles fell to Brandeis University Sunday afternoon.  Emory saw its record fall to 5-11 (0-5 University Athletic Association) following a 76-63 setback to the Judges who increased their record to 11-5, 4-1 in the UAA.

Fernandez converted seven-of-12 from the floor and eight-of-eight from the charity stripe in registering his 11th double-figure scoring game of the season and sixth of 20 or more points. Junior Chad Hixon was the other Eagle to register double digits in scoring with 11 points.  Brandeis was led in scoring by junior guard Andre Roberson with 18 points while Steve DeLuca and Kevin Olson chipped in 17 points apiece.

Emory trailed by a 31-23 margin with 4:15 left in the first half before staging a 12-4 run that allowed the Eagles to tied the contest at 35-35 heading into halftime.  Emory hit 48.3 percent from the floor (14-of-29) during the opening stanza while the Judges hit an even 50 percent clip (12-of-24).   The tandem of Fernandez and Hixon paced the Emory scoring attack during the opening 20 minutes of action with 12 and 11 points, respectively.

A pair of baskets by junior Daniel Curtin, combined with a three-point field goal by freshman Austin Claunch and a free throw by sophomore Julien Williams, helped Emory get out the gate quickly in the second half and to a 43-37 lead with 14:18 left in the game.  However, the Judges battled back and used a 12-0 spurt, keyed by a pair of treys by DeLuca, to take a 49-43 edge with 11:48 on the clock.  DeLuca added two more three-pointers in sparking Brandeis to a 12-5 stretch that extended its lead to 66-53 with 3:28 left.  The Eagles countered with an 8-1 run, sparked by six points by Fernandez, to climb back to within six points with 1:43 left.  After a Roberson basket for Brandeis, Emory stayed within six points as Curtin came through with a bucket with 1:33 left.  However, the Judges scored the last seven points of the game to cement the victory.

For the game, Emory hit 42.6 percent (23-of-54) from the floor while Brandeis finished at 46.9 percent (23-of-49).  The Eagles enjoyed a 32-28 advantage in the rebounding department. 

Emory returns to action on Friday, Jan. 30, when it hosts Carnegie Mellon starting at 8:00 p.m.

EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL EDGED BY NYU

(Jan. 23) - The Emory University men's basketball team stormed back from a 16-point halftime deficit but saw its comeback bid fall short as New York University escaped the Woodruff PE Center with a victory Friday evening.  The Eagles fell to 5-10 overall, 0-4 in the University Athletic Association following a tough 57-55 loss to the Violets who boosted their record to 12-3, 1-3 in the UAA.

Junior Chad Hixon sparked the second-half revival, scoring 12 of his 16 points during the final 20 minutes of action, sinking all four of his field goal and free throw attempts. For the game, he was five-of-seven from the floor and six-of-six from the charity stripe.  The Eagles' defensive play and effort on the boards picked up considerably in the second stanza, holding the Violets to 20 points while chalking up a decisive 18-9 bulge on the glass which included limiting NYU to just one offensive rebound.

Emory's offense had trouble getting untracked in the first half, shooting just 25.0 percent from the floor while NYU hit at a 51.9 percent clip.  NYU knocked down all five its three-pointers in the game in the opening half including a pair in the last 55 seconds that stretched a 10-point advantage into a 16-point lead at intermission, 37-21.

Emory held the visitors to just 1-of-10 field goal shooting during the first 7:56 of the second half but still trailed by a 42-29 margin.  The Eagles then methodically chipped away at the gap and a 14-4 run, keyed by six points from Hixon, narrowed NYU's lead to 46-43 with 5:40 left on the clock.  The teams traded points back and forth and Emory got to within two points at 52-50 with 2:52 remaining following a free throw by junior Anthony Fernandez. After a NYU bucket, Hixon countered with a basket to keep Emory within two points.  The Violets' John Mish hit a jumper for a 56-52 advantage before a pair of foul shots by Fernandez made the score 56-54.  Emory got a defensive stop on the ensuing Violet possession but could not capitalize on it as it turned the ball over.  After each team made a free throw, Emory had a chance to tie or win the game in the waning seconds following a NYU miss on the front end of a one-and-one but was stymied following a turnover.

Fernandez was Emory's other double-figure scorer with 16 points.  Sophomore Scott Azaroff pulled down a game-high tying nine rebounds and helped the Eagles to a final 39-31 margin in that category (16-5 on the offensive end).  Freshman Eric Pannico came off the bench and provided some solid relief with four points and three rebounds in 10 minutes worth of action.

Emory ended the game shooting 32.3 percent from the floor (20-of-62) while NYU converted 46.8 percent of its attempts (22-of-47).

The Eagles return to action on Sunday, Jan. 25, when it entertains Brandeis in a noon tip.

EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL MAKES UAA HOME DEBUT

(Jan. 20) - GAME FACTS -  The Emory University men's basketball team plays its first home games in almost three weeks this weekend when it plays host to a pair of University Athletic Association foes.  On Friday, the Eagles host New York University in an 8:00 p.m. start before entertaining Brandeis University on Sunday in a noon tip.

THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is second-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson, '94). 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).

Joe Nesci  (Brooklyn College, 1979) is in his 21st year as head coach at NYU.  Heading into Friday's meeting against Emory,  Nesci has compiled a school and career record of 364-167.  During his tenure, he has guided the Violets to 19 winning campaigns and seven appearances in the NCAA Tournament.

In his sixth season of patrolling the sidelines at Brandeis University is Brian Meehan (Clark, 1986).  Last season, Meehan saw the Judges post 23 victories and advance to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.  Prior to his appointment at Brandeis, Meehan  was the head coach at Salem State College for seven seasons.

Emory's Top Offensive Scoring Efforts Under Zimmerman  

2008-09 RECORDS - Emory will be looking to break a three-game losing streak that has dropped its overall record to 5-9 (0-3 UAA).  In their most recent outings, the Eagles lost at the University of Chicago, 55-50, before dropping a 79-58 verdict at Washington University.   Emory has captured three of four home outings this year.

NYU comes to town with an overall mark of 11-3.  The Violets are in search of their first conference victory having dropped their first three decisions.  Last Saturday (Jan. 17), NYU lost at Brandeis before bouncing back with an 81-63 non-conference victory over Hunter College on Monday.

At the start of the week, Brandeis sports an overall effort of 8-5, 2-1 in UAA contests. Before playing at Case Western Reserve University on Friday, the Judges were to play at Amherst on Monday (Jan. 20). Last Saturday, Brandeis topped NYU, 65-35.

SERIES RECORDS -  In a series that began in December of 1986, NYU claims an all-time mark of 29-14 vs. Emory.  The Violets captured both meetings last season, 78-71 at Emory and 76-69 at NYU.  NYU holds a 13-8 edge in games played on Emory's home court.

Brandeis holds the upper hand in the series against Emory, which began in 1988, by a 23-19 margin.  The Judges have won the last 10 meetings between the schools, including last season's 89-81 (at Emory) and 85-80 (overtime at Brandeis) outcomes.

NOTES - Emory junior Chad Hixon paced the team's scoring effort against Chicago with 14 points, his sixth double-figure performance of the season ...  Hixon has either led or tied for the club's scoring lead on two occasions this year ... Freshman Austin Claunch doled out a personal-best seven assists in the Washington University contest ... Freshman Alex Gulotta tied for team scoring honors in the Wash U., game with 10 points, his second double-figure scoring effort of the campaign ... After logging a career-long 31 minutes in the Chicago game, sophomore Scott Azaroff came back with a personal-best eight points vs. Wash U. ...  Senior John Kresse has registered five or more assists in seven games this season and in 19 of his 62 career outings at Emory ... Kresse heads into the weekend's action with 188 career assists, good for seventh place on the school's all-time chart ...  Junior Daniel Curtin's 10 points vs. Washington University represented his tenth double-digit scoring performance this season ... Curtin knocked down three three-point field goals against the Bears, his tenth effort of two or more treys this season ... Curtin heads into the NYU game in 16th place on the school's all-time chart with 75 treys, just one shy of tying Jared Grossinger (1991-95) for 15th position ... Anthony Fernandez rang up double digits in scoring for the ninth time this season with his 12-point showing at Chicago ... Fernandez's team-high scoring average of 14.9 points per game ranks him seventh among UAA players ...  Fernandez is tied for 11th on the league's ladder in rebounding (5.4 rpg) and is sixth in free throw percentage (.809) ... Emory has shot 70 percent or better from the free throw line in the last four and in a total of 12 games this season ... The Eagles hold down the No. 2 spot among UAA teams in free throw percentage (.758) ... In three conference games, the Eagles have attempted 40 free throws compared to 82 for the opposition ... The Eagles have a 5-3 mark this year when outrebounding the opposition and stand 13-7 during Jason Zimmerman's tenure as head coach ... Emory has grabbed 10 or more rebounds than the opposition in six games this year compared to last year's total of five ... Emory has had players score in double figures on 38 occasions compared to 50 for opponents ... The Eagles have outshot six opponents from the floor and stand 4-2 in those games.

EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL FALLS AT NO. 3 WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

(Jan. 18) - The Emory University men's basketball team fell behind early and couldn't catch up as the Eagles fell to the No. 3-ranked Bears in Saint Louis.  Emory saw its overall record fall to 5-9 (0-3 UAA) following a 79-58 setback to Wash U., who upped its overall slate to 13-1 (3-0 UAA).

Wash U. ended the game shooting 50 percent from the floor (26-of-52) while Emory connected on 42.1 percent (24-of-57).  The Eagles held a 32-31 edge in rebounding and turned the ball over on 15 occasions compared to the Bears' 11 miscues.

Junior Daniel Curtin and freshman Alex Gulotta tied for team scoring honors with 10 points apiece.  The pair accounted for all five of the Eagles' three-point field goals with Curtin registering three and Gulotta a pair from beyond the arc.  Sophomore Julien Williams grabbed a team-high five rebounds while freshman Austin Claunch doled out a personal-best seven assists.

Emory got behind early as the Bears scored the game's first 12 points and converted eight of their first 10 field goal attempts in bolting to a 22-8 advantage with 12:22 remaining in the opening half.  Wash U., built a pair of 20-point leads during the first stanza and went into the locker room with a 44-26 cushion at halftime.  The Bears connected on 60.7 percent from the floor in the first half, hitting 17-of-28 attempts including six-of-11 from three-point range.  Junior Aaron Thompson and senior Sean Wallis combined for 22 points with Thompson ringing up all 14 of his points during the opening 20 minutes of action and Wallis totaling eight points in sparking the host's first-half attack. Emory sank 50 percent (11-of-22) from the field and was paced in scoring by John Kresse, Daniel Curtin and Scott Azaroff, all of whom totaled six points.

After a basket by freshman Marc Miller cut the deficit to 16 points early in the second half, the Bears went on a 20-4 run that double its lead to 66-34 with 9:23 left in the contest.  Over the last seven minutes of the contest, the Eagles outscored Wash U. by a 22-11 margin to account for the game's final margin.

Emory returns to action on Friday (Jan. 23) when it entertains New York University.

EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL FALLS AT CHICAGO

(Jan. 16) - The Emory University men's basketball team dropped its second consective University Athletic Association game Friday evening as it came out on the short end of a hard-fought decision at the University of Chicago.  The Eagles saw their overall record slip to 5-8 (0-2 UAA) following a 55-50 setback to the Maroons who won their first game in 13 starts  (1-1 UAA).

The frigid weather conditions in the Chicago area may have carried over into the Ratner Center as both squads struggled to get their offenses untracked.  Emory finished the game shooting 37.8 percent from the floor (17-of-45) while holding UC to 32.0 percent (16-of-50), the lowest mark by an Eagles' opponent this year.  Both clubs finished with 30 rebounds while Emory turned the ball over on 18 occasions compared to the Maroons' 11 miscues.

Pacing the Emory attack was junior Chad Hixon with 14 points, his sixth double-figure scoring performance of the season, along with a team-best eight rebounds.  Classmate Anthony Fernandez contributed 12 points.
 
The first half was a closely played affair with the Maroons taking a 26-24 lead into halftime.  The Eagles shot 45.5 percent (10-of-22) from the floor during the opening 20 minutes of action and were led in scoring by Fernandez and Hixon, both of whom had seven points.

The first eight minutes of the second half saw Emory hit just two of nine field goals while Chicago converted just one of its first 11 tries. A three-point field goal by Fernandez tied the game at 33-33 with 11:30 remaining.  However, UC countered with a 7-1 scoring burst to take a 40-34 cushion with 8:01 on the clock.  The Maroons still enjoyed a six-point advantage with 3:41 remaining before a three-point field goal by freshman Alex Gulotta and a pair of free throws by sophomore Scott Azaroff pulled the Eagles to within one point with just 1:25 remaining. A bucket by Chicago's Matt Corning extended the home team's lead to three points, and following a missed field goal try by Emory, the Maroons John Kinsellsa knocked down a pair of free throws with 28 seconds left to put the Eagles in a five-point hole.  UC was able to keep the determined Emory club at bay by going eight-for-eight from the charity stripe over the last 28 seconds in locking up the triumph.

Emory returns to action on Sunday (Jan. 18) when it plays at No. 3-ranked Washington University.

EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM PREPS FOR UAA ROAD WEEKEND

(Jan. 13) - GAME FACTS -  The Emory University men's basketball team takes to the road this weekend for a pair of University Athletic Association contests.  On Friday (Jan. 16), the Eagles play at the University of Chicago before meeting defending national champion Washington University on Sunday (Jan. 18).

The Ratner Center on the Chicago campus will serve as the site of the 44th meeting between the Eagles and Maroons and tip is slated for 8:00 p.m. (CST).  The Washington University Field House will host the 43rd contest between Emory and the Bears with that affair starting at 11:00 a.m. (CST).

THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is second-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson, '94). 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).

Mike McGrath  (DePauw, 1992) is in his 10th year as head coach at Chicago.  Heading into Friday's meeting against Emory, McGrath has compiled a school and career record of 152-92.  Named the UAA Coach of the Year in 2007-08, he has guided the program to four conference titles.

In his 28th season of calling the shots at Washington University is Mark Edwards (Washington University, 1969).  Prior to a Friday contest against Case, Edwards has compiled a school and career won-lost record of 488-234.  He directed the Bears to the NCAA Division III national title in 2007-08 and has notched 20 or more wins on 10 occasions.

Emory's Top Offensive Scoring Efforts Under Zimmerman  

2008-09 RECORDS - Emory stands 5-7 in overall play and 0-1 in UAA action.  Last Saturday, the Eagles played at Case and came out on the short end of a 74-66 decision.  Junior Anthony Fernandez paced the team's scoring effort with 20 points while Julien Williams chipped in 12 points along with a game-high tying nine rebounds.

Chicago entertains Emory with a 0-12 ledger (0-1 UAA).  In their UAA opener last weekend, the Maroons hosted Washington University and lost by a 74-62 margin.  Chicago has lost seven games by four or fewer points.

Washington University is ranked No. 3 in the nation by D3hoops.com and sports an overall mark of 11-1 (1-0  UAA) prior to its Friday home date vs. Case.  The Bears' lone setback this season came at Elmhurst College (Dec. 20), 82-75.

SERIES RECORDS -  Chicago claims a 30-13 edge in the series with Emory and has won the last six meetings between the schools including last year's 91-65 (at UC) and 87-73 (at Emory) verdicts.  Chicago stands 18-4 against Emory in games played on its home court.

Wash U. has won 34 of 42 affairs against Emory and has claimed the last five contests.  Last year, the Bears captured an 85-63 triumph on their home floor before escaping with a 78-71 overtime win at Emory.

NOTES - Senior John Kresse registered five assists in the Case game and has five or more assists in seven contests this season and in 19 of his 60 career performances at Emory ... Kresse's assists total last weekend moved him past Matt Maguire (1995-98) and into seventh place on the school's all-time list with 184 ... Kresse, who is fourth in the UAA in assists (4.75 apg), has chalked up 21 assists and has just four turnovers over the last four games ... Julien Williams' team-high nine rebounds against the Spartans of Case represented the third time this year that he paced the club in boards ... His 12 points vs. CWRU was his fourth performance of double-figure scoring this season and 12th of his Emory career ... Williams is shooting 51.4 percent (37-of-72) from the floor and stands 10th among UAA players in that category ... Case established season opponent highs in free throws with 28 makes and 37 attempts ... Anthony Fernandez rang up double digits in scoring for the eighth time this season with his 20-point performance at Case, and he has now scored 20 or more points on five occasions in 2008-09 ... The 6-foot-4 Fernandez is tied for sixth place among league cagers in scoring average (16.3 ppg) and holds down the No. 8 spot in rebounding (6.0 rpg) ... Fernandez is just five rebounds shy of reaching 250 in his career ... Junior Daniel Curtin is fourth on the UAA ladder with an 84.8 percent (28-of-33) mark from the free throw line .... The Eagles have a 5-2 mark this year when outrebounding the opposition and stand 13-6 during Jason Zimmerman's tenure as head coach ... Emory has grabbed 10 or more rebounds than the opposition in six games this year compared to last year's total of five ... Emory has had players score in double figures on 34 occasions compared to 43 for opponents ... Junior Chad Hixon's five rebounds against Case represented his ninth effort of five or more boards this year ... Hixon leads the squad and is tied for sixth place in the UAA in rebounding with a 6.3 per-game mark ... The Eagles have outshot five opponents from the floor this season and stand 4-1 in those games.

EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL DROP UAA OPENER AT CASE


(Jan. 10) - The Emory University men's basketball team opened University Athletic Association play on Saturday with a loss at Case Western Reserve University.  The Eagles saw their overall record slip to 5-7 following a hard-fought 74-66 setback to the Spartans who upped their won-lost slate to 4-8 (1-0 UAA).

Pacing the Emory scoring attack was junior Anthony Fernandez with 20 points, his eighth double-figure scoring performance of the season and fifth of 20 or more.  Sophomore Julien Williams (12 pts.) and senior John Kresse (11 pts.) rounded out the club's double-digit point producers.

Emory got off to a 9-2 lead during the early portion of the game before Case bounced back with a 14-2 spurt to take a 16-11 advantage.  A three-point field goal by Kresse drew the Eagles to within 16-14.  However, CWRU closed out the final nine minutes of the opening stanza with a 17-10 run to take a 33-24 margin into the locker room at  halftime.   

Emory opened the second half with a 9-2 scoring advantage and trailed by just a pair, 35-33.  After the Spartans scored a pair of baskets, a pair of free throws by Fernandez and a trey by freshman Austin Claunch kept Emory within striking distance at 41-40.  CWRU's Steve Young then scored the game's next seven points in pushing the hosts to a 48-40 lead with 9:28 on the clock.  The Eagles battled back again and responded with a 7-0 charge that cut Case's lead to 48-47 with 7:26 remaining.  After the Spartans called timeout, they gained some breathing room with a 10-2 burst, keyed by five points by junior Bryan Erce, to assume a nine-point edge, 58-49, with 5:07 on the clock.  From there, the closest Emory would get would be four points.

Pacing CWRU's scoring effort was senior Steve Young with 23 points while sophomore Reid Anderson chipped in 17.

Emory returns to action on Friday (Jan. 16) when it plays at the University of Chicago.

EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL OPENS UAA ACTION AT CASE WESTERN
RESERVE UNIVERSITY

(Jan. 8) - GAME FACTS -  The Emory University men's basketball team begins the University Athletic Association portion of the schedule this Saturday (Jan. 10) when it plays at Case Western Reserve University.  Horsburgh Gym at the Veale Athletic and Recreation Center on the Case campus will serve as the site of the 33rd meeting between the Eagles and Spartans and tip is slated for 11:00 a.m.

THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is second-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson, '94). 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).

Sean McDonnell  (Boston College, 1996) is in his sixth year as head coach at Case.  Prior to his current post, McDonnell served as the head basketball coach at Hiram College for three seasons.

Emory's Top Offensive Scoring Efforts Under Zimmerman  

2008-09 RECORDS - Emory heads into its UAA opener with a 5-6 won-lost record.  In their last outing, the Eagles snapped a three-game losing streak when they topped Huntingdon College at home by a 77-70 margin on Saturday (Jan. 3).  Leading the team's effort in the game was the junior tandem of Daniel Curtin and Anthony Fernandez who totaled 29 and 19 points, respectively.

Case hosts Emory with a 3-8 slate.  The Spartans played at Oberlin College on Wednesday of this week and came out on the short end of a 75-62 decision.

SERIES RECORDS -  The all-time series between Emory and Case, which started in January of 1987, stands tied at 16 wins apiece.  Last season, the teams split a pair of games with Emory posting a 99-92 win on its home floor and the Spartans a 96-93 triumph in Cleveland.  Case stands 9-7 against Emory in contests played on its court.

NOTES - Senior John Kresse doled out a season-high eight assists in the Huntingdon game and has five or more assists in six contests this year and in 18 of his 59 career performances at Emory ... Kresse resides in eighth place on the school's all-time list with 179 assists and is four shy of tying Matt Maguire (1995-98) for seventh ... Kresse, who is fifth in the UAA in assists (4.7 apg), has chalked up 16 assists and has just three turnovers over the last three games ... The Eagles have a 5-2 mark this year when outrebounding the opposition and stand 13-6 during Jason Zimmerman's tenure as head coach ... Emory finished the Huntingdon game with a 39-28 edge in rebounding, the sixth time this year it grabbed 10 or more rebounds than the opposition - last season the Eagles recorded a plus-10 advantage in rebounds in five contests ... Junior Daniel Curtin registered a career-high 29 points in the Huntingdon outing, his third career performance of 20 or more points ...  Since the Oglethorpe game on Nov. 25, Curtin has converted 22-of-23 from the foul line and his 86.2 percent mark from the charity stripe (25-of-29) ranks him third among UAA players ... Junior Chad Hixon snared a team-high nine rebounds against the Hawks last Saturday, the fourth time he has paced the Eagles in that department ... Heading into the Case game, Hixon checks in with a team-leading 6.5 rebounds per game showing,  good for fifth position on the UAA chart ... Junior Anthony Fernandez continues to lead the squad in scoring with a 15.9 points per game effort and stands sixth among league players in that department ... Fernandez has seven double-figure scoring efforts to his credit this season ... Emory has had players score in double figures on 31 occasions compared to 39 for opponents ... The Eagles have outshot five opponents from the floor this season and stand 4-1 in those games ... Through games played Jan. 6, Emory ranks second among UAA teams in scoring (74.8 ppg) and free throw percentage (.759) ... Sophomore David Smith played a career-long 14 minutes in the Huntingdon contest ... Sophomore Scott Azaroff  tied his career-long  with a 22- minute stint against Huntingdon ... Azaroff has played 20 or more minutes in four of his 28 Emory career contests.EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL DEFEATS HUNTINGDON COLLEGE


(Jan. 3) - Emory juniors Daniel Curtin and Anthony Fernandez combined for 48 points in helping the Eagles defeat Huntingdon College Saturday afternoon.  The Eagles snapped a three-game losing streak and boosted their record to 5-6 following a hard-fought 77-70 verdict over the Hawks who slipped to 4-7.

Curtin totaled a career-high 29 points while Fernandez finished with 19 points in the win.  Curtin sank nine-of-15 from the floor, including a season-high five-of 10 from three-point range.  Curtin also converted all six of his free throw opportunities and has now hit 22 of his last 23 from the charity stripe dating from the Oglethorpe game on Nov. 25. Fernandez knocked down seven-of-13 from the field and five-of-six of his charity attempts stripe in posting his seventh double-figure scoring performance of the campaign. 

Emory shot 50.9 percent from the floor (27-of-53) while holding the Hawks to 38.1 percent (24-of-63).  The Eagles concluded the game with a 39-28 advantage in rebounding with junior Chad Hixon leading all players with nine caroms.  Senior John Kresse played a strong floor game with a season-high eight assists and two steals.

Curtin totaled 16 points in the first half and Fernandez 12 in helping the Eagles to a 46-40 advantage at halftime.  Curtin was successful on five-of-six from the floor including four-of-four from beyond the arc.  His timely outside shooting help negate a strong three-point shooting by the Hawks who connected on eight-of-13 during the opening 20 minutes of action and a total of 13 for the game.

After Huntingdon scored the first six points of the second stanza to knot the game, The Eagles answered with a 7-0 run to take a 53-46 lead.  Huntingdon countered with a 6-0 burst to draw to within one point with 13:52 on the clock.  The Eagles never surrendered the lead and an 8-2 sprint over a three-minute stretch, with Curtin and Hixon accounting for four points apiece, gave them a 70-62 edge with 8:10 left.  A three-pointer by Jeremy Pittman cut Emory's cushion to 70-67 with 6:18 remaining but the Eagles held on to come through with the victory.

Emory's next action takes place next Saturday (Jan. 10) when it opens University Athletic Association play at Case Western.

EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM OPENS NEW YEAR WITH HOME
GAME vs. HUNTINGDON COLLEGE
           
(Dec. 31) - GAME FACTS -  The Emory University men's basketball team opens the 2009 portion of its schedule on Saturday (Jan. 3) when it plays host to Huntingdon College.  The Woodruff PE Center will serve as the site of the sixth-ever meeting between the Eagles and Hawks and tip is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.  Saturday's contest will be Emory's final non-conference game of the season with the Eagles beginning University Athletic Association action on Jan. 10.

THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is second-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson, '94). 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).

Mike Pugh  (Alabama State) is in his first year as head coach at Huntingdon College.  Prior to his current post, Pugh spent seven seasons at Opelika High School (AL) where he served as head boy's basketball coach.  

Emory's Top Offensive Scoring Efforts Under Zimmerman  

2008-09 RECORDS - Emory will be looking to snap a three-game losing streak that has dropped its record to 4-6.  On Monday (Dec. 29), the Eagles came out on the short end of a 59-57 decision at Greensboro College before falling to Guilford the following evening by a 70-49 margin.

Huntingdon comes to town with a won-lost slate of 4-6.  The Hawks split a pair of games at the Tampa Florida Classic earlier this week, defeating Lynchburg, 72-63, before losing to DePauw, 74-58.  

SERIES RECORDS -  Emory has won all five meetings played against Huntingdon including last season's 92-84 decision in Montgomery, Ala. The Eagles are 2-0 against the Hawks in games played on their home floor, and this year's meeting will represent Huntingdon's first visit to Emory since 1998.

NOTES - Emory surrendered a season-low 59 points in the Greensboro game which stands as the second-lowest opponent total during Jason Zimmerman's tenure as head coach ... The fewest points scored by an opponent during his tenure is 52 points by Oglethorpe last season ... Sophomore Scott Azaroff logged a career-long 22 minutes worth of action in the Greensboro contest and followed that with a 21-minute stint (his second-longest outing) against Guilford where he posted a career-best seven rebounds ... Azaroff has played 20 or more minutes in three of his 27 Emory career contests ... Junior Chad Hixon's team-high 14 points in the Greensboro game marked the first time this year that he paced the club in scoring ... Heading into the Huntingdon affair, Hixon has posted five double-figure scoring efforts this season ... Through games played Dec. 30, Hixon held down the No. 6 position among UAA players in rebounding (6.2 rpg) ...  Emory attempted a season-low six free throws against Guilford, the fewest attempts during Zimmerman's stay as head coach ... Junior Daniel Curtin's 10 points vs. Guilford was his eighth double-figure scoring effort of the year ... Curtin has two or more three-point field goals to his credit in eight games this year ... In the course of the past two games, Curtin has moved into 16th place on the school's all-time list with 67 treys ... Senior John Kresse doled out eight assists and had just one turnover in a combined 57 minutes of action in the Greensboro and Guilford games ... Kresse has five or more assists in five outings this year and in 17 of his 58 performances during his Eagles' career ... Kresse moved into ninth place on Emory's career list with 171 assists and is just four shy of tying Ari Citrin (1998-2002) for eighth ... Emory has had players score in double figures on 29 occasions compared to 36 for opponents ... The Eagles have outshot four opponents from the floor this season and stand 3-1 in those games ... Emory is averaging 86.0 points in its four victories,  67.0 points in its six losses ... The Eagles have outshot six foes from three-point range and show a 4-2 mark in those affairs ... Through games played Dec. 30, Emory ranks third among UAA teams in scoring (74.6 ppg) and second in free throw percentage (.762).

EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TOPPED BY GUILFORD COLLEGE

(Dec. 30) - The Emory men's basketball team battled a more experienced Guilford College squad for a half Tuesday evening before seeing the Quakers use a torrid second-half shooting performance in picking up a win over the Eagles.  Guilford ran its season record to 8-2 following a 70-49 decision over the Eagles who fell to 4-6.

Guilford shot 77.3 percent in the second half, sinking 17-of-22 from the floor, and drained five-of-seven three-point attempts in outscoring Emory by a 41-26 margin. 

Guilford junior Rhett Bonner paced four Quaker double-figure scorers with 20 points, converting 7-of-12 from the floor including five-of-eight from beyond the arc.

Junior Daniel Curtin was the lone Emory player to score in double digits finishing with 10 points.  Sophomore Scott Azaroff paced the club with a career-high seven rebounds and helped Emory to a 39-37 advantage in that department.

Emory got off to a good start in the opening half and held a pair of nine-point leads, including a 20-11 advantage with 6:47 left.  However, Guilford battled back and closed out the stanza on an 18-3 run that gave it a 29-23 at halftime. 

Early in the second half, Emory trailed by a 31-25 count, but a 12-4 Guilford burst expanded the deficit to 14 points.  Emory stayed within striking distance and when freshman Marc Miller tipped in a missed shot, the Eagles trailed by only eight points, 46-38, with 11:47 remaining.  Guilford, whose starting five has a combined total of 309 career games played to its credit with the Quakers' program (compared to 171 for the Eagles' starting five), responded to the comeback bid by rattling off a 10-2 run that featured a pair of crucial three-point field goals to bolt out to a commanding 56-40 cushion with 8:47 on the clock.  From there, the closest Emory would get was 13 points.

Emory returns to action on Saturday (Jan. 3) when it entertains Huntingdon College in a scheduled 4:00 p.m. tip.EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL EDGED BY GREENSBORO

(Dec. 29) - Emory juniors Chad Hixon and Daniel Curtin totaled 14 and 12 points, respectively, but it wasn't enough as the Eagles came out on the short end of a 59-57 decision at Greensboro College Monday evening.  The setback dropped Emory's record to 4-5 while the Pride upped their mark to 5-4.

Greensboro shot 44.0 percent (22-of-50) from the floor while Emory finished with a 33.9 percent effort (19-of-56).  The Eagles shot better from three-point range, hitting 43.8 percent (7-of-16) compared to Greensboro's 38.5 percent (5-of-13). The Pride finished with the contest with a slight 36-35 advantage in the rebounding department.

Greensboro led for the majority of the opening half and held an eight-point advantage with 3:31 left before the Eagles closed the gap to 26-21 at intermission. 

The Pride held a 36-30 edge during the early stages of the second stanza but a pair of free throws by Daniel Curtin capped a 9-2 Emory run and pushed the Eagles in front by a 39-38 count with 10:47 on the clock.  Two more charity tosses by junior Anthony Fernandez enabled the Eagles to assume a three-point margin, 44-41, with 9:27 remaining but a three-pointer by Greensboro's R.J. knotted the game with 9:00 left.

With the score deadlocked at 48-48, Greensboro went on a 5-0 spurt and enjoyed a 53-48 lead.  However, the Eagles battled back and drew to within two points, 53-51, following a layup by Hixon with 1:11 left.  Anthony Simmons of Greensboro hit a big three-pointer 28 seconds later to put the home team up by five points, but Curtin answered with a trey of his own to cut the deficit to 56-54 with 27 ticks on the clock.  Greensboro hit three-of-four foul shots to keep Emory at bay before a three-pointer by Hixon with six seconds left eventually closed out the game's scoring.

Emory returns to action on Tuesday (Dec. 30) evening when it plays at Guilford starting at 6:00 p.m.

EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM FACE ROAD GAMES AT
GREENSBORO AND GUILFORD
           
(Dec. 26) - GAME FACTS -  After breaking for the holidays, the Emory University men's basketball team returns to action on Monday and Tuesday (Dec. 29 & 30) when it plays at Greensboro College and Guilford College, respectively.  Hanes Gym on the Greensboro College will serve as the site of the second-ever meeting between the Eagles and The Pride and tip is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. The Ragan-Brown Field House on Guilford's campus will provide the backdrop for the second meeting between Emory and Guilford and that contest is also slated for a 6:00 p.m. start.

THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is second-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson, '94). 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).

Bryan Galuski  (Eckerd, 1998) is in his fourth year as head coach at Greensboro College.  Heading into a Sunday afternoon (Dec. 28) home encounter against Hiram College, Galuski had posted a school and career record of 48-39. 

In his sixth season of calling the shots for Guilford College Tom Palambo (Virginia Wesleyan, 1989), checks into a Dec. 29 game against Hiram with a school mark of 97-49.  Last year, he directed the Quakers to a 24-5 won-lost slate.  In 12 years as a head coach, which includes a six-year stint at Defiance College, Palambo posts a career mark of 197-112.

Emory's Top Offensive Scoring Efforts Under Zimmerman  

2008-09 RECORDS - Emory heads into the Greensboro affair with a 4-4 record.  In their last performance, the Eagles saw a two-game win streak come to an end following a 96-87 setback at home to against Piedmont College (Dec. 18).  Juniors Anthony Fernandez and Chad Hixon led Emory's scoring attack in that contest with 17 and 16 points, respectively.

Greensboro takes a 3-4 record into the Hiram game.  The Pride started off the season slowly, dropping their first four games before capturing their last three prior to the Dec. 28 game including a 60-56 win at home against LaGrange College on Dec. 7.

Prior to its meeting against Hiram, Guilford College stands 6-2 and was coming off a 68-62 victory over McDaniel on Dec. 17.

SERIES RECORDS -  When Emory plays both Greensboro and Guilford, it will represent just the second-ever meeting on the hardwood in school history.

The Eagles and Greensboro first met in December of 1991, with the Pride notching a 100-96 triumph on Emory's home floor.

The initial meeting between Emory and Guilford took place last season when the Quakers, then ranked No. 12 in the nation, ended a six-game Emory win streak with an 82-67 victory at the Woodruff PE Center.

NOTES - Chad Hixon's 16 points against Piedmont represented a season high and was his fourth effort of double-digit scoring this season ... Hixon ranks first on the team and fourth among University Athletic Association players in rebounding (6.8 rpg) ... Hixon has five or more boards in seven of eight contests ... Anthony Fernandez heads into the Greensboro game averaging a team-leading 17.6 points per outing, good for the fifth spot on the UAA scoring chart ...  Fernandez has notched double digits in point production in six games ... Heading into the Greensboro game, Emory ranks second among UAA squads in scoring average (80.0 ppg), free throw percentage (.766) and rebound margin (+7.0) ... Emory concluded the Piedmont game shooting 76.5 percent (13-of-17) from the charity stripe, the seventh straight contest where it converted 75 percent or better of its foul shot opportunities ...  Sophomore Julien Williams totaled 13 points against Piedmont, his third double-figure scoring performance of the campaign ... The 6-foot-2 Williams paces the club and holds down fourth place among UAA cagers with a 58.3 percent (28-of-48) mark from the field ... Williams has knocked down 50 percent of his field goal tries in his last six outings and is connecting at a 62.5 percent clip (15-of-24) over the last three games ... Junior Daniel Curtin, a double-figure scorer in six contests this year, is in 18th place on Emory's all-time three-point field goal list (62) ... Curtin is three treys shy of moving past Brian Rosenzweig (1993-95) and into 16th position on that chart ... Emory has had players score in double figures on 26 occasions compared to 29 for opponents ... The Eagles have outshot four opponents from the floor this season and stand 3-1 in those games ... Emory is averaging 86.0 points in its four victories,  74.0 points in its four losses ... The Eagles have outshot five foes from three-point range and show a 4-1 mark in those affairs ...  Sophomore Marcus Patterson doled out a season-high five assists in the Piedmont game ... Senior John Kresse tops the team and is No. 5 among UAA players in assists (4.5 apg) ... Kresse is 10th on the school's all-time ladder with 163 assists and is seven shy of tying Rich Aronwald (1990-94) for ninth place ... Freshman Corey Spraggins picked off a team-high seven rebounds against Piedmont, the second time this year that he either led or tied for team honors in that category.EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL SQUAD FALLS TO PIEDMONT COLLEGE

(Dec. 18) - The Emory men's basketball saw a two-game win streak snapped Thursday afternoon as Piedmont College came away with a 96-87 victory at the Woodruff PE Center on the Emory campus.  The loss dropped the Eagles' record to 4-4 while the Lions upped their mark to 2-7.

Piedmont junior J.C. Herebia led all scorers with 28 points, hitting 12-of-15 from the floor and four-of-four from the foul line.  Junior guard Michael Rubio chipped in 18 points and tied for the team lead with seven boards.

Heading up the Emory offensive attack was junior Anthony Fernandez with 17 points while junior Chad Hixon knocked seven-of-eight from the floor and both of his free throw attempts en route to a season-high 16 points. Junior Daniel Curtin (15 pts.) and sophomore Julien Williams (13 pts.) rounded out the squad's double-digit scorers. 

Piedmont finished the contest shooting 53.3 percent (32-of-60) from the floor while Emory checked in at 47.9 percent (34-of-71).  The Lions converted 25-of-31 free throw opportunities compared to Emory's effort of 13-of-17 from the charity stripe.  The battle on the boards saw each team snatch 34 rebounds.

Piedmont lead at halftime by a 44-42 margin, setting the stage for a hard-fought second half that featured nine ties and eight lead changes.  After the Lions took an 85-80 edge with 3:19 remaining, a basket by Hixon followed by a pair of foul shots by senior John Kresse drew Emory to within 85-84 with 2:35 on the clock. However, that was as close as the Eagles would get as Piedmont closed out the game with an 11-3 run as Emory missed its last seven field goal attempts.

Emory returns to action on Dec. 29, when it plays at Greensboro College.EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM HOSTS PIEDMONT IN THURSDAY
MATINEE

(Dec. 15) - GAME FACTS -  The Emory University men's basketball team plays its final game before breaking for the holidays on Thursday (Dec. 18) when it hosts Piedmont College. The Woodruff PE Center will be the site of the fifth-ever meeting between the schools and tip is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.  Following the encounter against the Lions, Emory returns to action on Dec. 29 at Greensboro College.

THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is second-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson, '94). 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).

Lee Glenn is in his sixth year as head coach at Piedmont College.  Heading into a Monday night encounter against Mary Washington, Glenn had posted a school and career record of 60-77.  Last year, he guided the program to a won-lost ledger of 14-13.   

Emory's Top Offensive Scoring Efforts Under Zimmerman  

2008-09 RECORDS - Emory heads into Thursday's action with a 4-3 record.  The Eagles have captured four of their last five games and came away with a 77-66 home win against Sewanee (Dec. 9) in their most recent outing.  Leading the Emory offensive attack in that game was junior Anthony Fernandez and sophomore Marcus Patterson with 22 and 18 points, respectively.

Piedmont opened play at the Briggs Elliott Classic on Sunday with a 93-65 loss to host Randolph-Macon, leaving its record at 1-6.  The Lions were to play Mary Washington on Monday before taking on Emory.

SERIES RECORDS -  In a series that began in 1988, Emory holds an all-time mark of 3-1 against Piedmont.  The teams last met on Jan. 6, 2004, with the Eagles claiming an 83-69 victory.  Emory has won all three meetings played on its home court.

NOTES - Emory shot a season-high 91.3 percent (21-of-23) from the foul line against Sewanee, the third-highest effort during head coach Jason Zimmerman's tenure and the fourth time that the Eagles have eclipsed the 90 percent mark since the 2007-08 campaign ... Emory finished the Sewanee contest with a 38-28 edge in rebounding, the fifth time this year that it concluded a game with 10 or more rebounds than the opposition ... Through seven games, Emory posts a 39.0-31.0 per-game advantage in rebounding ... Emory has outshot the opposition from the field in four games and shows a 3-1 record in those affairs ... Emory has had players score in double figures on 22 occasions compared to 25 for opponents ...  Sophomore Marcus Patterson recorded a season-high tying 18 points against Sewanee, his fourth double-digit effort of the year ... Patterson, second on the squad with 25 field goals, has shot 50 percent or better from the field in four games and takes a 52.1 percent mark (25-of-48) into the Piedmont game ... Through games played Dec. 13, senior John Kresse was No. 2 among UAA players in assist/turnover ratio (+2.83) ... Kresse is tied with Kevin Felner (1983-93) for 10th place on the school's career chart with 161 assists ... Sophomore Julien Williams, shooting a keen 56.4 percent from the floor on the year, has connected on 50 percent or better of his field goal attempts in his last five outings and is hitting at a 62.5 percent (20-of-32) during that stretch ... Junior Chad Hixon, the team leader in rebounds with a 7.1 per-game average, has grabbed five or more boards in all seven games this year ... Junior Daniel Curtin, a double-figure scorer in five contests this year, is tied with Richard Somers (2000-02) for 19th place on Emory's all-time three-point field goal list (59) ... Junior Anthony Fernandez came through with a 22-point performance against Sewanee, his fourth performance of 20 or more points this season and eighth of his career ... Fernandez has paced the team in scoring in five games this year.EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL DEFEATS SEWANEE

(Dec. 9) - Emory junior Anthony Fernandez and sophomore Marcus Patterson combined for 40 points off the bench and the Eagles shot a season-high from the foul line in posting a win over the University of the South Tuesday evening.  Emory upped its record to 4-3 following a 77-66 victory over the Tigers who saw their won-lost ledger slip to 2-7.

Fernandez sank nine-of-14 from the floor and four-of-five from the foul line en route to a game-high 22 points, his fourth outing of 20 or more points this season, while Patterson finished with 18 points along with a team-high four assists in the win.  Sophomore Julien Williams contributed nine points and team-best 10 rebounds.

For the game, Emory finished with a 46.6 percent mark from the floor (27-of-58) compared to Sewanee's mark of 40.4 percent (21-of-52).  The Eagles knocked down 91.3 percent (21-of-23) from the charity stripe and finished with a 38-28 margin in the rebounding department.

Emory trailed by a 36-35 margin at halftime but shot a 53.8 percent (14-of-26) from the floor over the final 20 minutes of play in outscoring Sewanee by a 42-30 margin.  The Eagles held the visiting Tigers to 37.5 percent from the floor in the second half while enjoying a 19-9 edge in rebounds. 

The game was tied, 43-43, with 14:10 remaining before Emory rattled off a 15-4 run, culminated by a three-pointer by Patterson, that gave it a 58-47 advantage with 9:00 remaining. Fernandez played a key role in that span chipping in seven points.

Sewanee drew to within six points, 65-59, with 4:10 on the clock but Emory responded with a 10-0 barrage that upped the score to 75-59 with 2:04 remaining and which put the game out of reach.

"In the second half, we did a much better job of contesting shots and finished it off by doing a good job on the boards," head coach Jason Zimmerman said.  "Sewanee played very hard and we couldn't get away from them in the first half with it going back and forth.  In the second half, our defensive stops allowed us to make a run and helped give us a cushion to finish the game."

Emory returns to action on Thursday, Dec. 18, when it hosts Piedmont College in a 2:00 p.m. start.EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM MEETS SEWANEE IN TUESDAY
HOME TEST
           
(Dec. 8) - GAME FACTS -  The Emory University men's basketball team returns to action on Tuesday (Dec. 9) when it battles the University of the South.  The Woodruff PE Center on the Emory campus will serve as the site of the 43rd meeting between the schools and tip is slated for 7:00 p.m.

THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is second-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson, '94). 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).

Ryan "Bubba" Smith (Furman, 1999) is in his first year as head coach of the University of the South.  Prior to his current post, Smith spent five seasons as the head coach at Hampden-Sydney College where he compiled a 94-46 record. 

Emory's Top Offensive Scoring Efforts Under Zimmerman  

2008-09 RECORDS - Emory heads into Tuesday's action with a 3-3 record.  In their last outing, the Eagles recorded a 91-72 win at LaGrange College on Wednesday (Dec. 3).  Sophomore Julien Williams led four Emory double-figure scorers with 15 points while also picking up a team-best seven rebounds.  The Eagles shot 58.9 percent from the floor in that game including a season-high 52.9 percent (9-of-17) from three-point range.

Sewanee comes to town with a 2-6 mark.  The Tigers hosted DePauw on Sunday and dropped a 76-63 decision.

SERIES RECORDS -  In a series that began in 1987, Emory holds an all-time mark of 24-18 against Sewanee.  However, the Tigers snapped a 10-game losing streak to Emory in last year's lone meeting, posting an 85-68 victory on their home floor. Emory lays claim to a 15-5 edge in games played on its home floor.

NOTES - Emory's 58.3 percent effort from the floor against LaGrange on Wednesday, raised the team's record to 2-0 this season when shooting 50 percent or better from the field, 9-2 during Jason Zimmerman's tenure as head coach ... After connecting on just 56 percent of their free throw attempts in the season opener, the Eagles have knocked down 75 percent or better from the charity stripe in the last five contests ... Emory has converted 74.0 percent of its free throw opportunities this season, including 80.6 percent (50-of-62) in the last three contests ... Emory has outrebounded four of six opponents this year and posts a 39.2-31.5 per-game edge in that department ... The 38-16 advantage on the glass in last Wednesday's LaGrange outing was the highest differential during Zimmerman's stint as head coach at Emory and the ninth time that the Eagles had concluded a game with 10 or more rebounds than the opposition ... Senior John Kresse, coming off a season-high tying seven-assists performance vs. LaGrange, paces the squad in that department with a 5.2 per-game average ... Career-wise, Kresse stands 11th on the Eagles' career ladder with 158 assists ...  Julien Williams' 15 points vs. LaGrange was his second double-figure scoring performance of the season and 10th of his career ... Junior Daniel Curtin has scored in double figures in his last four games and ranks second on the club in scoring (12.2 ppg) ... Curtin has cracked the top 20 all-time performers at Emory in three-point field goals and is tied for the 19th position on the list with 59 treys.EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL SQUAD RACES TO WIN OVER LaGRANGE

(Dec. 4) - Emory sophomore Julien Williams totaled a season-high tying 15 points and grabbed a team-best seven rebounds in helping the Eagles to a convincing 91-72 win at LaGrange College on Tuesday evening.  The win evened Emory's record at 3-3 while the Panthers slipped to 2-5.

Head Coach Jason Zimerman juggled the starting lineup and the move paid dividends as the Eagles connected on 58.3 percent of its field goal attempts (35-of-60) including a season-best 52.9 percent (9-of-17) from three-point range.  Freshman Alex Gulotta came off the bench and gave the Eagles some firepower, hitting five-of-six from the floor and finishing with 14 points in 11 minutes of action.  Rounding out the squad's double-figure scorers were junior Daniel Curtin and sophomore Marcus Patterson with 10 points apiece.

Emory led by a 16-12 margin with 10:08 left in the first half before going on a 10-0 run to extend its advantage to 26-12.  The Eagles maintained its double-digit cushion and eventually built a 21-point lead, 44-23, following a basketball by Williams with 1:40 left in the stanza.  Emory closed out the first half with a 45-25 lead, hitting on 54.8 percent (17-of-31) of its field goal attempts while holding LaGrange to 35.3 percent (6-of-17).

Over the final 20 minutes of play, Emory was never seriously challenged and at one point posted a 32-point lead after Gulotta knocked down a three pointer.  The Eagles continued their torrid shooting, sinking 18-of-29 from the floor in the half.

Emory returns to action on Tuesday, Dec. 9, when it hosts the University of the South in a 7:00 p.m. tip.EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TOPPED BY MARYVILLE

(Nov. 30) - The Emory University men's basketball team closed out play at the Oglethorpe University Thanksgiving Classic on Sunday with a loss to Maryville College.  
Emory saw its record fall to 2-3 following the 81-64 setback to the Scots who upped their mark to 3-2.

Maryville connected on 50 percent (16-of-32) of its field goal attempts in the first half, including 54.5 percent (6-of-11) from three-point range, in building a 41-23 lead at halftime. Despite turning 10 Maryville turnovers into 19 points, Emory was hampered by cold shooting that saw it connect on just 29.4 percent (10-of-34) from the floor in the opening stanza.  Emory trailed by just six points, 24-18, with a 7:53 left in the first half following a basket by junior Chad Hixon, but saw the Scots run off a 15-2 burst over the five minutes and thirty seconds to take a commanding 39-20 advantage with 2:19 left.

In the second half, Emory faced an 18-point obstacle, 45-27, with 16:52 remaining before a 12-4 charge, keyed by seven points from junior Daniel Curtin, cut the gap to 10 points, 49-39 with 12:32 on the clock.  However, that was as close as the Eagles would get for the rest of the game.

Curtin led the team with 12 points while Hixon chipped in 10 along with a team-high five rebounds. While the Eagles forced a total of 18 Maryville miscues and came up with 13 steals, they were outrebounded by a healthy 44-28 count by the Scots.

Emory returns to action on Dec. 3 with a game at LaGrange starting at 7:30 p.m.
EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL DEFEATS LaGRANGE  

(Nov. 29) -  Emory junior Anthony Fernandez totaled a game-high 22 points and 11 rebounds and junior Daniel Curtin and sophomore Julien Williams each came off the bench to score 15 points to spark the Eagles to a win over LaGrange College.  Emory evened its record to 2-2 following an 87-73 triumph over the Panthers who slipped to 2-3.  The game was played on the campus of Oglethorpe University.

Emory shot a season-high 60.8 percent (31-of-51) from the floor while holding LaGrange to 41.8 percent (28-of-67).  The Eagles also finished with a hefty 39-24 edge in the rebounding department, the third time this season with an advantage in that department.

Fueled by 14 points from Fernandez and 10 from Curtin, the Eagles bolted to a 43-32 lead at halftime.  Fernandez hit six-of-seven from the floor during the opening 20 minutes of action in helping the team to a keen 61.3 percent mark from the field.  A key stretch in the first half came over a 5:30 span when the Eagles outscored LaGrange, 11-0, keyed by seven points by Curtin and buckets from junior Chad Hixon and Williams, which turned a one-point deficit into a 10-point lead, 36-26.

Leading by a 58-49 count with 11:25 remaining, Emory rattled off a 9-2 burst, capped by a three-pointer by senior John Kresse, that extended its lead to 67-51 with 9:13 on the clock.  A trey by freshman Austin Claunch with 6:15 left gave the Eagles their biggest advantage of the game, 74-56, with 6:15 remaining.  LaGrange battled back to within eight points at the 2:40 mark but the Eagles salted the contest by sinking seven-of-nine foul shots down the stretch.

Emory returns to action on Sunday (Nov. 30) when it returns to Oglethorpe to battle Maryville College in a 2:00 p.m. start.

Notes
** Emory's 60.8 percent mark from the field marked the best performance by a Jason Zimmerman-coached Eagle team.

** Anthony Fernandez's 22 points was his third outing of 20 or more points this season and seventh of his career.  Along with his 11 rebounds, it was his second double-double of the campaign and sixth of his career.

** Julien Williams' 15 points was a season high and his ninth career performance of double-figure scoring.

** Chad Hixon pulled down seven rebounds, second high on the squad, and was his fourth straight outing of seven or more boards. 

** Austin Claunch logged a season-high 18 minutes and doled out four assists.EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM EYES THANKSGIVING WEEKEND
CONTESTS AT OGLETHORPE CLASSIC
           
(Nov. 26) - GAME FACTS -  The Emory University men's basketball team will be in action this Saturday and Sunday (Nov. 29 & 30) when it takes part in the Oglethorpe Classic.  On Saturday, the Eagles battle LaGrange College in a 4:00 p.m. start before meeting Maryville College on Sunday in a 2:00 p.m. tip.  All games will be played at Pinholster Court on the Oglethorpe campus.

THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is second-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson, '94). 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).

Warren Hayes (LaGrange College, 1998) is in his eighth season as head coach of LaGrange. Heading into the weekend, he has compiled a school and career ledger 69-92. During the 2006-07 campaign, he guided the Panthers to 18 victories, then the program's highest win total in 13 years.  

In his 29th year as head coach at Maryville College is Randy Lambert (Maryville College, 1976).   During his distinguished career, Lambert has manufactured a record of 527-226.  His Scots teams have advanced to the NCAA Tournament 10 straight seasons.

Emory's Top Offensive Scoring Efforts Under Zimmerman  

2008-09 RECORDS - Emory stands 1-2 after coming away with an 89-83 win at home over Oglethorpe on Tuesday (Nov. 25).  Leading the way for the Eagles in that game was junior forward Anthony Fernandez with 24 points and eight rebounds.  Junior Chad Hixon helped the Eagles to a 44-34 margin on the glass with a team-high 10 boards.

LaGrange will meet Emory looking to snap a two-game losing streak that has dropped its record to 2-2. In their most recent outing, the Panthers came out on the short end of a 74-65 decision at home to the University of the South.

Maryville owns a 2-1 mark during the early stages of the season.  Last weekend, the Scots won a pair of games at the LaGrange Tournament, edging Hampden-Sydney College, 59-58, before coming away with a 66-58 triumph over Virginia Wesleyan College.

SERIES RECORDS -  In a series that began in 2001, Emory claims a 10-2 margin over LaGrange.  The Eagles have won six of the last seven meetings including an 89-72 decision last season.

Emory and Maryville first started playing basketball against each other in 1990 and the Scots have a 13-6 record against the Eagles.  In 2007-08, the teams split two games with Maryville winning on its home court by a 75-72 margin and Emory posting a victory at the Woodruff PE Center, 100-89.

NOTES - 6-foot-3 junior Chad Hixon has been effective on the boards for the Eagles, leading or sharing for team honors in that department the last two games ... Hixon enters the weekend No. 2 on the club with an 8.7 rebounds per-game effort ... Emory was effective from beyond the arc in the Oglethorpe game, knocking down 45.0 percent (9-of-20) of its attempts, the fifth-highest mark by a Zimmerman-coached team ... The Eagles are averaging 37.3 points during the first half of play (35.0 for opponents) and 40.7 over the final 20 minutes and overtime (45.7 for opponents) ... Anthony Fernandez has scored in double figures in all three games this year and in his last 15 outings dating from last year ... He has totaled 20 or more points in six games during his Emory career ... Emory's win over Oglethorpe raised the program's to 18-5 in home-opening games ... Junior Daniel Curtin totaled a season-high 17 points in the Oglethorpe University ... Sophomore Marcus Patterson tossed in 17 points in the Oglethorpe outing, his second double-digit performance of the season.EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TOPS OGLETHORPE - EARNS FIRST WIN OF SEASON

(Nov. 25) -  The Emory University men's basketball team had five players score in double figures Tuesday evening in sparking the Eagles to an 89-83 win over Oglethorpe University.  The victory upped Emory's record to 1-2 while Oglethorpe slipped to 3-1.

Junior forward Anthony Fernandez led the balanced Emory scoring attack with a game-high 24 points, his second effort of 20 or more points this year, while sophomore Marcus Patterson and junior Daniel Curtin each chipped in 17 points.  Junior Chad Hixon totaled 11 points while snagging a team-high 10 rebounds, his third straight performance of seven or more boards, and senior John Kresse rounded out the double-figure scorers with 10 points.

Though the Petrels outshot the host Eagles, 47.7 percent (31-of-65) to 45.2 percent (28-of-62), Emory finished with a decisive 44-34 edge in rebounding.  The Eagles also posted a 22-7 advantage in bench scoring. 

Behind 12 points from Curtin and 10 from Patterson, Emory held a 39-35 lead at intermission.  The Eagles led by eight points, 24-16, at one point in the first half before a 12-2 run by Oglethorpe gave it a 30-28 lead with 3:22 left.  However, Emory closed out the half on an 11-5 run, the last three coming on a three-pointer by Curtin to take the four-point advantage into the locker room. 

Emory got off to a strong start early in the second stanza, and when Hixon knocked down a shot from beyond the arc with 15:22 on the clock, the Eagles enjoyed a 53-43 advantage.  However, a 7-0 spurt by the Petrels, keyed by back-to-back three pointers by Joe Kennedy, put them right back in the game, trailing by just three points, 53-50, with 13:50 remaining.  Emory countered with its own 7-0 run, started on a three pointer by Fernandez, to go up by 10 points again, 60-50, with 10:41 left.   Oglethorpe stayed within striking distance and eventually cut the gap to two points, 71-69 with 4:52 on the clock. Five straight points by Patterson pushed the bulge to seven points and a Fernandez jumper with 2:15 remaining kept the home team up, 80-73.  Down the stretch, the Eagles made the most of their free throw attempts and in the process nailed down the win while avenging a season-opening defeat at Oglethorpe. 

"I thought that we played well in spurts," Emory head coach Jason Zimmerman said.  "Oglethorpe is a tough team to defend because they have so many scoring weapons.  We would go up by six or eight points and then they (Oglethorpe) would come back.  We tried to set a goal to not allow Oglethorpe to score on three consecutive possessions.

"This was the third game in a row where we've controlled the boards and that will be important to continue, especially when conference plays rolls around," Zimmerman added.  "We did receive some good play from a number of guys."

Emory returns to action on Saturday (Nov. 29) when it plays LaGrange College at Oglethorpe in a 4:00 p.m. tip.    EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL DROPS CLOSE ROAD GAME vs. BIRMINGHAM SOUTHERN

(Nov. 21) -  The Emory University men's basketball team received double-figure scoring from three players but came out on the short end of a road game at Birmingham Southern Friday evening.  The Eagles saw their record fall to 0-2 following a 70-64 setback to the Panthers who upped their won-lost slate to 3-1.

Pacing the Eagles' scoring attack was junior Anthony Fernandez with 13 points while junior Chad Hixon totaled 12 points along with a game-high tying seven rebounds.  Rounding out the team's double-digit point producers was freshman Marc Miller with 10 points. 

The Eagles led for all but a few moments in the first half and enjoyed an 11-point advantage when junior Daniel Curtin's three-point field goal gave Emory a 27-16 edge. The visiting Eagles eventually went into the locker room with a 31-29 lead at halftime as they connected on 51.9 percent of their field goal attempts (14-of-27) while BSC was successful on 40.7 percent (11-of-27).

The Panthers turned in a torrid second half shooting performance, converting 75.0 percent from the floor (15-of-20) while Emory posted a 37.5 percent showing (12-of-32). BSC took its first lead of the game with 14:35 remaining following a bucket by Michael Rebarchak that made the score 37-35. The Panthers eventually built a pair of nine-point leads, the last being a 46-37 cushion with 11:45 left.  The Eagles battled back and when freshman Corey Spraggins nailed a jumped, they trailed only by a point, 61-60, with 1:36 left.  However, a three-point field goal by Aaron Parr followed by a basket by Roger Williams gave the home team some breathing room at 66-60 with 43 ticks left on the clock.

Emory returns to action on Tuesday (Nov. 25), when it makes it home debut against Oglethorpe University starting at 7:00 p.m.EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL DROPS 2008-09 SEASON OPENER IN OVERTIME AT OGLETHORPE

(Nov. 17) -  Emory junior Anthony Fernandez posted 28 points and 16 rebounds while sophomore Marcus Patterson added 18 points but it wasn't enough as the Eagles came out on the short end of an 89-81 overtime decision at Oglethorpe University in the season opener for both teams.

Fernandez's point and rebound totals represented career highs for the 6-foot-3 forward while Patterson, playing in just his second game in an Emory uniform, also finished with a personal best in the scoring column.  Fernandez sank 10-of-19 from the floor and eight-of-nine from the charity stripe in registering his fifth career outing of 20 or more points while Patterson knocked down seven-of-11 of his field goal opportunities, including three-of-five from three-point range.

Fernandez registered 17 points and Patterson 13 during a closely played opening 20 minutes of action that featured 16 lead changes.  The biggest edge that either team could must was three points, three times by Emory and twice by the Petrels, as the Eagles took a 42-41 lead into the half.

Emory scored the first four points of the second half to lead, 45-41,  but Oglethorpe responded with a 9-1 spurt to take a 50-47 edge with 15:47 left.  Down by a 52-50 count with 13:51 on the clock, junior Daniel Curtin rattled off seven straight points, six coming via a pair of treys, in helping the Eagles to a 57-52 advantage with 9:47 on the clock.  Curtin shook off a cold-shooting first half to score all of his 13 points in the second half and overtime.

A jumper by Fernandez staked Emory to a 74-68 edge with 3:13 left but a jumper by Oglethorpe's Todd Ward cut the gap to 74-73 with 22 ticks remaining.  After an Emory free throw, a pair of foul shots with two seconds left by Joe Kennedy enabled the Petrels to tie the game and force the extra session.

In the overtime, Emory missed its first six shots from the field as Oglethorpe took an 81-76 cushion with 1:54 left. A basket by junior John Kresse and a layup by Patterson after a  Kresse steal kept Emory in the game and down by just a single point, with 1:15 left.  However, that was as close as the Eagles would get as the hosts closed out the game with a 7-0 scoring run all via the charity stripe.

For the game, Emory shot 40.3 percent from the game (31-77) while Oglethorpe finished with a mark of 40.0 percent (30-of-75).  The Petrels held a slight 50-46 margin on the glass while each team turned the ball over 14 times.

Emory returns to action on Friday (Nov. 21) with a contest at Birmingham Southern starting at 7:00 p.m. (CST).EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM OPENS 2008-09 SEASON
           
GAME FACTS -  The Emory University men's basketball team opens the program's 23rd year of intercollegiate competition on Monday (Nov. 17) when it plays at Oglethorpe University in a 7:00 p.m. tip. Following their encounter with Oglethorpe, the Eagles face another road challenge on Friday (Nov. 21) when they play at Birmingham Southern starting at 7:00 p.m. (CST).

THE COACHES - Leading the Emory program is second-year Head Coach Jason Zimmerman (Davidson, '94)  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).

Phil Ponder (LaGrange College) is in his sixth season as head coach of Oglethorpe. Last season, he guided the Stormy Petrels to 16 victories, the program's highest win total in 10 years.  

In his second year as head coach and 14th year overall at the Birmingham Southern program is Mitch Cole (Montana State University - Billings, 1992).  Cole and took a school and career record of 14-12 into a Sunday (Nov. 16) game against Huntingdon College.

2007-08 RECORDS - Emory closed out last year with an overall record of 10-15.  Last season's schedule was ranked as the third-most difficult in the nation according to D3hoops.com and second toughest in the Massey Ratings.  The Eagles return nine letterwinners from that squad including starters Anthony Fernandez, Julien Williams and John Kresse.  

The Eagles took on Division I member Furman University in an exhibition game on Friday (Nov. 14) and lost by a 67-51 count.  Leading the Emory scoring attack was junior Daniel Curtin with 18 points while Anthony Fernandez was the team's other double-digit point producer with 11 points.

Oglethorpe compiled a won-lost ledger of 16-10 last season which included a 10-3 effort in games played on its home court.  The Petrels played Georgia State in an exhibition game on October 30 and came out on the short end of a 85-80 decision to the Panthers.

Birmingham Southern (13-12 last season) opened the '08-09 season with a 72-48 home decision over the University of Dallas on Saturday.  BSC was to play host to Huntingdon College on Sunday (Nov. 16) and at LaGrange on Nov. 19 before entertaining Emory.

Emory's Top Offensive Scoring Efforts Under Zimmerman  

SERIES RECORDS -  In a series that began in 1987, Oglethorpe holds a 23-20 edge over Emory. The Eagles captured both meetings last season, 89-52 at Oglethorpe and 106-89 at Emory.  The Petrels have captured 17 of 23 meetings played on their home floor.

Emory and Birmingham Southern met for the first time last season with the Eagles emerging with an 82-77 victory at the Woodruff PE Center. Aiding in the win was Anthony Fernandez with 15 points and five rebounds while Daniel Curtin and John Kresse chipped in 14 and 12 points, respectively.

EMORY AND SEASON OPENERS - Emory posts a 13-9 all-time mark in season-opening games and will be looking to snap a three-game losing skid in such contests when it battles Oglethorpe.  Last year, the Eagles fell in their by a 72-64 margin to UT-Tyler at Sewanee.EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL FALLS SHORT IN EXHIBITION OUTING AT FURMAN

(Nov. 14) - The 2008-09 Emory University basketball team took to the court for first time this season in an exhibition game at Division I foe Furman University and battled the Paladins before falling by a 67-51 margin.

In an extremely competitive first half that saw nine lead changes, the Eagles of head coach Jason Zimmerman trailed by 36-32 margin, thanks in part to some timely outside shooting by junior Daniel Curtin who totaled 16 of his team-high 18 points during the opening 20 minutes of action.  Curtin hit six-of-10 from the floor, including four-of-seven from three-point range as Emory stayed within striking distance.

Emory opened the second half by hitting just two of its first eight field goal attempts while turning the ball over five times as Furman used a 13-4 run to take a 49-36 edge with 11:31 remaining in the contest. A bucket by junior Anthony Fernandez cut the gap to 49-41 with 9:57 on the clock but that was as close as the Eagles would get for the remainder of the game.

Emory ended the evening shooting 34.6 percent from the floor (18-of-52) while Furman, who was paced by Jordan Miller's game-high 22 points, hit on 54.5 percent (24-of-44). The Paladins held a 37-23 bulge in the rebounding department and were paced in that category by senior center Alex Opacic's seven boards.  Curtin and Fernandez tied for Emory's lead with four rebounds apiece.  Fernandez, battling foul trouble for most of the first half, bounced back to register 11 points.  Senior guard John Kresse dished out five assists and had no turnovers in 23 minutes of action.  Emory turned the ball over on 16 occasions compared to Furman's 22 miscues.

Emory opens the regular season on Monday evening, Oct. 17, at Oglethorpe University.

EMORY MEN'S BASKETBALL TANGLES WITH FURMAN UNIVERSITY IN EXHIBITION

(Nov. 13) - The 2008-09 edition of the Emory's men's basketball team makes its debut on Friday, November 14, when it plays at NCAA Division I foe Furman University in an exhibition game.  The Eagles and Paladins will square off at Timmons Arena on the Furman campus starting at 8:00 p.m.

Emory head coach Jason Zimmerman enters his second season with nine returning letterwinners, including three starters, from last season's squad that compiled a won-lost record of 10-15.  In addition, Zimmerman has a host of talented new faces to call upon and who are eager to contribute to the success of this year's team.

Headlining the returnees is junior forward Anthony Fernandez (Miami, FL) who tossed in 14.1 points per game, second on last year's team, while grabbing a team-high 6.6 rebounds per game.  The 6-foot-3 Fernandez recorded 19 games of double-figure scoring last season, including four performances of 20 or more points, and turned in six contests of 10 or more rebounds en route to honorable mention All-University Athletic Association honors. 

Senior John Kresse (Charleston, SC) returns as the incumbent at the point guard spot after starting 24 of 25 games last year.  The 6-foot-1 Kresse directed the Eagles' offense with a steady hand, averaging 4.40 assists per game, second among UAA players, while chipping in 7.1 points per outing.  In addition, Kresse stood third among league performers in the all-important assist/turnover ratio category with a 2.16 per-game showing.

Sophomore Julien Williams (Potomac, MD), 6-foot-2,  looks to build upon a solid first year that saw him draw starting assignments in 22 of the 23 contests he played in.  The versatile Williams gave Emory a boost both in the backcourt and frontcourt and concluded the year averaging 21.8 minutes, 7.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.

Zimmerman will be looking to maintain the fast-paced offensive attack from '07-08 that saw the Eagles leading the UAA and ranking among the top 50 teams in Division III in scoring offense with a 79.0 points per game average.  The attacking style of offense resulted in Emory putting up three of the UAA's top five single-game point totals.

Furman, a member of the Southern Conference, is led by third-year head coach Jeff Jackson and welcomes back five players with starting experience from last year's club that finished with an overall record of 7-23.  Sophomore guard Justin Dehm is a dangerous scoring threat after averaging 10.1 points per game while knocking down 62 three-point field goals. The Paladins boast some formidable height in the frontcourt led by 6-foot-10 senior center Alex Opacic (10.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg) and 6-foot-8 sophomore Noah States (7.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg).  In an exhibition affair played on Nov. 6, Furman notched a 67-46 win over Newberry.

Emory will open the regular season on Monday, Nov. 17, with a road game at crosstown rival Oglethorpe University starting at 7:00 p.m.