Emory Men's Basketball Opens Season With Overtime Win At Oglethorpe

Stats


Emory University sophomore Corey Spraggins scored seven of his 13 points in overtime and junior Julien Williams finished with 14 points and a team-high 12 rebounds in helping the Emory men's basketball team to an exciting 85-81 victory at Oglethorpe University in the season opener for both squads. 

Emory forced the overtime when sophomore Alex Gulotta knocked down a three-point shot with 18 seconds left that knotted the score at 72-72 with 18 seconds left.  The Stormy Petrels had the last shot in regulation but came away empty-handed.

Spraggings scored the first five points in the extra session that gave Emory a 77-72 advantage with 3:14 left. After a pair of Oglethorpe charity tosses, a jumper by Gulotta followed by another bucket by Spraggins upped the Eagles' lead to 81-74 with 1:36 left on the clock.  Oglethorpe stayed within striking distance when Alex Richey's three-pointer cut Emory's edge to three points with 1:10 left.  Emory withstood the comeback bid and used baskets by Williams and Gulotta to ice the game.

Emory ended the night shooting 49.3 percent (34-of-69) from the floor 52.4 percent (11-of-21) from three-point range. Oglethorpe countered with a 45.1 percent effort (32-of-72) from the field.  The Petrels ended the contest with a 45-38 edge on the glass.

Emory came out of the blocks firing and hit nine of its first 13 shots in racing to a 21-9 lead eight minutes into the contest.  The Eagles' torrid shooting continued throughout the opening stanza as 14 points by sophomore Austin Claunch and eight by Daniel Curtin helped stake them to a 42-30 lead at halftime.  Emory benefitted from a 54.8 percent success rate from the floor during the opening 20 minutes which including converting eight-of-12 opportunities from beyond the arc.  Claunch sank six-of-seven from the floor and Curtin three-of-four with both players draining a pair of three pointers.

Emory still held an 11-point margin at 54-43 with 12:45 remaining following a trey by sophomore Justin Resnick, but Oglethorpe responded with a 12-0 burst, keyed by back-to-back three pointers by Tyler Cerone, to take a 55-54 lead with 8:14 left on the clock. 
Oglethorpe possessed a three-point lead with 5:51 remaining and increased its bulge to six points, 72-66, with 1:42 on the clock after a basket by Todd Ward.  Following a missed foul shot by Ward, a free throw by Curtin, followed by a score from Williams, that capped a stretch where he scored eight of Emory's nine points, pulled the Eagles to within three points with 34 ticks on the scoreboard. Oglethorpe missed two more free throw attempts which set the stage for Gulotta's tying trey.

Claunch finished as Emory's leading point producer with 19 points while Gulotta, along with freshman Alex Greven each chipped in 12 points.  Claunch also doled out a school-record tying 11 assists. Williams' effort this evening represented his second career double-double and fourth outing of 10 or more rebounds.

Emory returns to action on November 24 when it plays at Huntingdon College.