Eagles Rally in Second Half 79-70
MARYVILLE – Maryville has lost four games in a row, and it won't be a shocker if all four of those losses are to teams ranked in the next version of the D3Hoops.com top 25.
The Scots battled Emory on Sunday before falling 79-70 to their South Region rivals. Maryville led by as many as 13 points in the first half and was on top 41-34 at intermission, only to watch the Eagles shoot the lights out over the last 20 minutes.
"I didn't do this schedule because I didn't think we were capable; we are extremely capable," Maryville head coach Raul Placeres said. "We've played probably four of the top 25 teams in the country, back-to-back-to-back-to-back – I don't know how many teams are doing that.
"But the process is hardening us. We just have to do a better job in the last five minutes of a game. That's what is happening now. We are two possessions away in three of these last four games, and the opposing team has executed on both ends; we have not."
Placeres says 3-point shooting has been the thorn in the team's side thus far. Maryville on Sunday finished 5-of-27 from beyond the arc, including just 1-of-14 in the second half. The Scots are just 7-of-42 from long range over the last two games and shooting 29.8 percent from that distance for the season.
Emory finished the game at 60.8 percent from the field thanks to a 17-of-25 effort (68.0 percent) in the second half. The Eagles' front line stood 6-7, 6-6 and 6-4 for most of the game, and that size helped outscore Maryville 56-32 in the paint. It was a 45-29 margin in the second half as the visitors rallied from that seven-point halftime deficit.
Leading the charge for Emory was guard Benjamin Pearce, who scored 17 of his game-high 19 points in the second half and added a game-leading 8 rebounds. The Eagles placed five scorers in double-figures.
"Sometimes, it's a make-or-miss game," Placeres said. "We had no answer for their point guard in the second half. We shut him down in the first half, held him to 2 points. But he had 17 in the second half, and it didn't matter. We were in man picking him up? Vrooom, right by us. We were in the zone? Split the zone."
Hot Shooting Early
Maryville opened the game by making six of its first seven shots to lead 14-4 on Charlie Cochran's jumper with 16:27 showing on the first-half clock. Emory pulled within 21-15 but then Maryville went on an 11-4 run capped by a pair of free throws from Jaylon Green that made it 32-19 with 5:34 left before half.
Emory answered with an 11-0 run to pull within 32-30 on Albert Fallas' jumper with 3:10 showing. The Scots made their free throws down the stretch (9-of-10 in the half) and led 41-34 at intermission.
Emory scored the first seven points of the second half to forge a 41-41 tie. Cochran made the second of two free throws, but the Eagles responded with six more points and it was a 13-1 run to open the half and a 47-42 Emory lead.
Maryville drew within a single basket on five separate occasions, but the Scots never could climb over the top because of the hot shooting from Emory. The four losses in a row mark Maryville's longest losing streak since the Scots opened the 2019-20 season with nine consecutive.
Myles Rasnick led the Scots with 16 points, 5 assists and 4 steals, with Kordell Kah having his best game of the season and scoring 14 on 6-of-7 shooting. Cochran finished with 10 points and a team-high 6 boards.
"In order to beat them, you've got to come out in the second half and jump on them because you know their run is coming," Placeres said. "They are that talented.
"But we've got a quick turnaround with an undefeated Berry (6-0) team coming in here Tuesday night. What an opportunity for us. We'll get to practice Monday, get ready for another good team and hopefully end this skid. That's all you can do."