Freshman Romin Williams scored 19 of his season-high 31 points in the second half in leading the Emory men's basketball team to a Friday evening come-from-behind win at home over the University of Chicago.  The Eagles won for the 11^th straight time and improved to 15-2 in overall action, 6-0 in the University Athletic Association, following a 71-66 verdict over the Maroons who fell to 7-10 overall, 3-3 in the league.

Williams ended the evening 10-of-19 from the floor, including five-of-eight from three-point range, and converted six free throws in chalking up his 13^th double-figure scoring performance of the season. Williams scored the Eagles' last nine points over the final 2:08 of the contest, starting with a three-pointer that put the Eagles ahead by a 65-63 margin.  Williams then extended the club's lead to four points with 1:06 on the clock after a pair of makes at the foul line.  A three-pointer by UC's Jordan Baum cut the Eagles' advantage to one point with 41 seconds on the clock, but Williams hit a clutch jumper just 11 seconds later to boost Emory to a 69-66 advantage.  The Maroons had a good look from beyond the arc on their next possession but missed, with Williams getting the rebound.  After getting fouled, Williams closed out the game's scoring with a pair of charity tosses.  Wiliiams' 31 points represents the high-water mark by an Emory player this season.

Emory finished with an edge in field goal shooting, hitting 41.7 percent (25-60) vs. Chicago's 40.3 percent (25-62).  The Eagles were more efficient from beyond the arc, connecting on 42.9 percent (9-21) while UC finished at 25 percent (8-32).  The Maroons did enjoy a 42-32 advantage on the boards with senior Christopher Avant leading Emory with a game-high 12 boards, his fifth double-figure effort of the year.

After a basket by Beau Bommarito cut a Chicago lead to five points early in the second half, the Maroons converted five of their next eight field goal attempts in posting a 10-2 run that gave them their largest lead of the evening at 13 points, 45-32, with 15:32 remaining.  Emory sliced the gap five points thanks to a 10-2 spurt over a 2:16 stretch that saw freshman Matt Davet record all eight of his points and Williams score on a layup.  The Maroons built their lead back to nine points with 12:24 on the clock, but the Eagles bounced back with a 9-0 splurge, the last five coming from Williams, to knot the score with 9:10 remaining.  Chicago led by a 59-55 margin before a three-pointer by Adam Gigax followed by a bucket by Avant, gave Emory a 60-59 edge with 4:41 left.  The Maroons took their last lead of the contest with 2:18 remaining, setting the stage for Williams' late-game heroics. 

Emory returns to action on Sunday (Jan. 28) when it hosts No. 2-ranked and UAA co-leader Washington University in a noon start.