Atlanta, Ga., Feb. 7, 2016 – Sophomore guard Kevin Kucera tied his career-high with 21 points as the Washington University in St. Louis men's basketball team suffered a 74-73 loss at Emory University Sunday in Atlanta.
Emory improved its overall record to 15-5, and remained in first place in the University Athletic Association (UAA) standings with an 8-1 mark. The Bears suffered their sixth-straight defeat and fell to 10-10, 2-7 in the UAA.
Kucera was 8-of-14 from the field, and connected on a career-best 5-of-8 from three-point range. He also added five rebounds as he topped the 20-point mark for the second time in his career.
Sophomore center David Schmelter just missed his second-straight double-double, tying his career-high with 16 points and nine rebounds. Junior forward Clinton Hooks added 10 points and four boards.
WashU shot 45.3 percent (24-of-53) from the field, and connected on 11-of-23 three-pointers. The Bears outrebounded Emory 35-32, but the Eagles had a 10-4 advantage in second-chance points.
WashU connected on 5-of-9 from the field early in the game, and gained a 14-11 lead after a three from the wing by Hooks. Emory answered with seven-straight to gain the 18-14 lead and force a WashU timeout.
The Bears got back into the contest on the defensive end limiting Emory without a field goal for 4:19. WashU responded with a 9-1 run as Sanders' free-throw gave WashU the 28-26 lead with 4:50 to play.
Kucera and sophomore Jake Knupp ignited an 8-0 run with a pair of threes to give the Bears a four-point lead, but David Rao connected on a three at the buzzer to trim WashU's halftime lead to 38-37.
Schmelter had 10 points to lead all scorers in the first half, while Kucera added nine points. The Bears hit 6-of-12 from beyond the arc and hit 10-of-12 from the foul line.
Rao's three-pointer at the buzzer ignited a 10-0 run as the Eagles jumped out to a 44-38 lead after a pair of free-throws by Will Trawick. Facing its largest deficit of the game, Silverman-Lloyd drained his second three of the game to highlight a 9-2 run as WashU took a 47-46 lead.
The Bears held onto a one-point lead (61-60) with 5:44 to play, but Jonathan Terry scored nine-straight points to give Emory the 69-63 lead. Terry's four-point play gave the Eagles the lead for good.
Kucera scored on a lay-up to trim the lead to two (72-70), and then after a stop on the defensive end, WashU had a chance to tie the game with 8.9 seconds but Schmelter missed a pair of free-throws.
Terry scored 14 of his 21 points in the second after being limited to just three points a week ago in St. Louis. Rao (15 points), Will Trawick (14) and Austin DaGue (10) also scored in double figures for Emory. Whit Rapp controlled the pace of play for the Eagles with 11 assists and just one turnover. Emory hit 11 threes in the win, and connected on 11-of-13 from the foul line.
WashU returns home to hosts Case Western Reserve University (10-10, 3-6 UAA) on Friday, Feb. 12, at 8:30 p.m. Prior to the contest, WashU will name the playing court in the WU Field House for Mark Edwards and Nancy Fahey, honoring the duo's 35th and 30th anniversaries as WashU's men's and women's basketball coaches.
BEAR NOTEBOOK: WashU leads the all-time series with Emory 45-13 … Silverman-Lloyd has connected on a three in all 20 games this year … The 11 threes made was the second most this season … Emory is a perfect 8-0 at home, and has won its last 14 games dating back to last season … The Bears are 9-2 when leading at the half … Six of WashU's 10 losses have been by five points or less.