(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) - The Carnegie Mellon University men's basketball team led from wire-to-wire and upended the 13th-ranked Diplomats of Franklin & Marshall College on Wednesday, December 30, 74-54, on the hardwood of Skibo Gymnasium.  The win improves the Tartans' record to 6-3 while Franklin & Marshall is now 7-2.

Junior Jack Serbin connected on his first four shots of the game, including two from long range, to help Carnegie Mellon open the game with a 12-9 lead at the 15:21 mark.  The Tartans stayed in control and pushed the score to 23-13, thanks to a three-point bucket off the hands of sophomore Thomas Cook, which ended a 14-4 run for the home team.

Franklin & Marshall's Lior Levy cut the score to seven at 32-25 with 3:25 to play in the half, but the Tartans answered with seven straight points to grab their largest lead of the first 20 minutes of play.  Senior Blake Chasen accounted for five of the Tartans' points during the stretch, including a trey and a transition basket off an assist from sophomore Ryan Maha.

The Tartans led 40-29 at the break after shooting 55.2% from the floor and converting on 4-of-7 from behind the arc.  The Diplomats shot 32.4% and were 3-of-9 from long range.  Carnegie Mellon took advantage of Franklin & Marshall's foul trouble in the first frame, scoring 24 points inside the paint to the Diplomats' 10.

Carnegie Mellon continued its momentum in the second half and never surrendered a double-digit lead the rest of the way.  Maha connected on back-to-back three-point baskets at the 6:28 mark of the second half to put a halt to any comeback bid for Franklin & Marshall. The two long range jumpers put the Tartans in front 63-46, as they went on for the upset victory.
 
The Tartans improve to 6-1 this season when out-rebounding their opponent, as they held a 47-35 advantage over the Diplomats.  Carnegie Mellon ended the game shooting 47.5% from the floor while holding Franklin & Marshall to 27.7%.   

Three Tartans scored in double figures with Serbin leading the way with 16 points.  Maha finished with 15 points while freshman Patrick Ehland had 10 and recorded his second double-double of the season with 10 rebounds.  Junior Chris Shkil led all players on the glass with 11 rebounds and also chipped in with nine points. Senior Jason Sebak dished out a game-high 11 assists in the win.

The Diplomats were led by Brandon Federici who scored a game-best 19 points.  Cedric Moune and Levy each finished with eight points.

The Tartans will return to the hardwood on Monday, January 4 when they travel to La Roche College for a 7:00 p.m. tip.