The performance was better, but the result was the same.
After opening its University Athletic Association (UAA) season with a 98-71 loss to Case Western Reserve University on Friday, the New York University Men's Basketball Team was back on the hardwood facing Carnegie Mellon University on Sunday, January 16.
But, despite a 29-point, 16-rebound performance from senior captain
Bobby Hawkinson (Frankfort, IL/Marist) and a nine-point, first-half lead, the Violets (9-3, 0-2) could not hold off the Tartans (8-4, 1-1) and fell 84-80 in Brooklyn.
"Definitely a better performance from Friday," said Head Coach
Dagan Nelson. "We showed great resiliency in bringing it back to a one possession game. The difference was that they got all the 50-50 balls and won the battle of intangibles."
NYU took its biggest lead of the game, 23-14, on Hawkinson's layup with 11:58 remaining in the first half. The Tartans followed with a 17-5 run and held on for a one-point lead, 41-40, at halftime.
The Violets took their final lead, 44-43, on
Jacob Sussman's (Mount Olive, NJ/The Lawrenceville School) layup early in the second half. However, Carnegie Mellon went on a 15-3 streak and eventually took a game-high 12-point lead, 63-51, with just over 12 minutes to play.
NYU turned up the pressure, and when
Zay Freeney (Phoenix, AZ/South Mountain) scored eight consecutive points late in the game, it pulled NYU within three, 75-72.
"Like Coach is always saying, you gotta stay in the game even if the shots are not falling early and be ready for the second half," Freeney said. "That's something I take pride in doing and being ready to help the team."
Hawkinson's two free throws made the score 77-75 with 1:15 left, but the Violets could not get any closer as the Tartans connected on 7-of-8 free throws in the final minute to clinch the victory.
Freeney finished with 15 points and Sussman had 12. Hawkinson also contributed three assists, two steals and a block.
"We're a young team with great senior leadership," Freeney stated. "We're taking it one step at a time, and the next step is to win a game like this."
Carnegie Mellon's R.J. Holmes led all scorers with 29 points.
"I was proud of our fight and we'll take that with us to St. Louis on Friday," Nelson added.
The Violets return to action next Friday, January 21, when they travel to face Washington University in St. Louis. Tipoff is set for 5:30 pm central time.
