(DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.) – The Carnegie Mellon University men's basketball team started its holiday trip to the Land of Magic Classic with a 79-70 win over Salisbury University, Sunday, December 29 at the ICI Center on the campus of Emory-Riddle University in Daytona Beach Florida.  The win improves the Tartans record to 6-2 while the Sea Gulls even their mark at 4-4.

The Tartans remained perfect this season when shooting 50% or better from the floor, as they won their fifth contest after shooting 54% to the Sea Gulls 46%. Carnegie Mellon dominated the glass hauling in 36 rebounds while Salisbury grabbed 21.

With the score tied at 12-12 six minutes into the game, Carnegie Mellon used a 13-2 run over a six minute span to grab its largest lead of the half at 25-14. During the stretch, Carnegie Mellon's scoring was spread out with five different Tartans finding the basket as freshman Matt Hillman capped the run off with a jumper at the 7:59 mark of the first half.

Salisbury didn't go away, as the Sea Gulls used a 17-6 run over the next five minutes to knot the score at 31-31 before taking a 36-34 lead with 1:31 to play in the half.   With 39 seconds left in the stanza, Tartan junior Seth Cordts drained a long ball to put the Tartans back on top (37-36) as the teams went into the break.

Cordts' trey would be the last lead change of the game, as Carnegie Mellon scored five straight to start the second half and led by as many as 13 on two occasions.  The Sea Gulls made it interesting in the last minute of play cutting the lead to 73-70, but a long ball by senior Christian Manoli sealed the Tartans sixth victory of the season.

Carnegie Mellon was led Manoli's season-high 20 points while Cordts poured in 12 off the bench.  Three other Tartans scored in double figures, as senior Rob Mohen cashed in with 11 and seniors Rashaun Riley and Asad Meghani each had 10.

Manoli along with junior Kevin Stursberg each matched a career-high with eight rebounds to lead the Tartans. Stursberg also tied a career-high with two blocks.

Carnegie Mellon will be back on the hardwood Monday, December 30 as they play Skidmore College at 12:00 p.m. in its second and final contest at the Land of Magic Classic.