The No. 16 Emory men's basketball team (6-1) traveled North to Waltham, Massachusetts to compete in the 2023 UAA Challenge at Brandeis University. The Eagles played in their second and final contest at the event on Saturday afternoon, taking on the Bates Bobcats. Behind junior Logan Shanahan's second consecutive double-double performance, the Eagles took down the Bobcats 88-77. Shanahan finished with 21 points and 14 boards to complete his double-double.
Three other Eagles also eclipsed double-digit points in the game. With the win, the Eagles extend their winning streak to five games and have scored at least 87 points in each game over the stretch.
The Bobcats and the Eagles traded blows in the first half, with both teams combining for 30 three-point attempts in the period. The Eagles' offense took a bit to get going, shooting 36.8% from the field and going 5-13 from three in the first half.
The Eagles turned to Shanahan to provide a spark in the first half, and he did not disappoint. Shanahan secured his double-double in the first half alone, putting up 15 points and pulling down 10 boards in the first 20 minutes. The junior shot a dazzling 6-9 from the field and knocked down two three-point shots to help keep the Eagles in the game.
Sophomore Jair Knight also found some success offensively in the first half, shooting 4-11 from the field and recording 12 points. Knight and Shanahan combined for 27 of the Eagles' 41 points in the half.
Emory went into the break tied at 41 with the Bobcats, but it did not take long for the Eagles' offense to heat up in the second half. In the first 10 minutes of the second half, the Eagles went on a 30-14 run to take a 71-55 lead, their largest of the day.
Bates came out of the break determined to stifle Knight and Shanahan in the second half, and prevented the two from getting clean looks. The Eagles turned to freshman Ethan Fauss and sophomore Ben Pearce to power the offense down the stretch. Fauss and Pearce both delivered, each knocking down three shots from beyond the arc to keep the Bobcats' comeback attempt at bay. Pearce went on to finish the game with 19 points and Fauss with nine.
The Bobcats did their best to continue chipping away at the lead with a flurry of three-pointers down the stretch, but the Eagles continued to answer with shots of their own to secure the win.
Shanahan finished the contest as the Eagles' leading scorer with 21 to go with his game-high 14 boards as well. Pearce led the game in assists with eight. Emory finished the day shooting 40% from the field as a team and scored 24 points inside the paint.
After the win, the Eagles finish the 2023 UAA Challenge with a perfect 2-0 record and having outscored their opponents 175-132 this weekend. Emory will be back in action on Thursday, December 14th for a road matchup with regional-foe Oglethorpe. The game against the Stormy Petrels will tip off at 6:00 PM.