Spencer Freedman scored a game-high 24 points and Nikola Lipovic dropped a career-high 22 of his own but New York University's men's basketball team fell, 95-91, to 18th-ranked Emory University on Friday night at the Brooklyn Athletic Facility.

It was the first home University Athletic Association (UAA) game of the season for the Violets, who are now 12-3 overall and 1-3 in league play.

Emory led for 35:25 of the contest but it was thrilling throughout, featuring a breakneck pace and sudden scoring runs from both sides. 

NYU led 9-2 early on after hitting its first three long-range attempts, but the Eagles rattled off 13 straight points to lead 15-9 with 14:32 left in the first. Emory led for the remainder of the half, establishing its largest lead of the game (30-18) at the 8:22 mark.

The Violets stormed back, however, using a 19-8 run over the next 4:17 to come within one, 38-37, after a Freedman triple. NYU went on the trail by two at the break (46-44), thanks to Cinque Stephens' buzzer-beating layup in transition.

It was a closely contested second half most of the way, but the Eagles nabbed a late 10-point lead, 79-69, with just under six minutes to play on a three-pointer from Albert Fallas.

NYU then mounted a 10-2 run over the next two minutes to bring itself right back within two (81-79), later tying the score at 84-84 with 1:41 remaining after an and-one from Quinn Clark.

But, Emory's leading scorer Benjamin Pearce came through at the stripe and Fallas nailed a trey with 26 seconds to go to secure the win for the visitors.

Freedman shot 10-of-18 from the floor and 4-of-10 from deep for his game-high 24 points, adding five assists, a steal and a block.

Lipovic hit 7-of-12 shots, 6-of-10 from downtown, efficiently achieving his new career high in scoring. Stephens chipped in 13 points and Zay Freeney contributed 12.

Clark had eight points, six boards, two steals and an assist.

Both teams shot well with NYU connecting on 44.6 percent (33-of-74) from the field, 41.0 percent on threes and 90.0 percent at the line (9-of-10). The game was primarily decided on the boards through, as Emory out-rebounded the Violets 49-26.

NYU will have a quick opportunity to bounce back when it hosts #7 University of Rochester on Sunday, January 20, back at the Brooklyn Athletic Facility.