University of Chicago junior Jake Pancratz hit a three-point
field goal with 1.2 seconds left to erase a one-point Emory lead
and spark the Maroons to a win at the Woodruff PE Center on
Sunday. Chicago saw its record to go 5-17 overall, 5-6 in the
University Athletic Association after escaping with a 53-51 win
over the Eagles who slipped to 6-16 overall, 1-10 in the
league.
Pancratz's heroics negated another determined second-half rally by
the Emory squad. The Eagles trailed by 12 points, 49-37, with
7:08 left in the contest before putting the defensive clamps on the
visitors and running off 12 straight points to tie the contest at
49-49 apiece with 2:05 on the clock. Emory saw five players score
in the comeback, including four points by junior Chad Hixon who
finished the contest with a team-high 13 points. After UC's
Adam Machone snapped the tie with a free throw, the Eagles took
their first lead since the midway point of the first half when a
layup by Hixon gave them a 51-50 edge with 48 ticks left in the
game. Each team missed scoring chances before a tough
offensive foul call on Emory gave Chicago the ball back with five
seconds left, setting the stage for Pancratz's dramatic shot.
Hixon hit four-of-eight from the floor and five-of-six from the
charity stripe en route to his 14th double-figure scoring effort of
the campaign and seventh in the last eight outings. Hixon
also finished the afternoon with a team-high seven rebounds.
Junior Anthony Fernandez was the other Eagle to notch double
figures with 10 points.
Emory shot 38.3 percent (18-of-47) from the floor while Chicago
finished with a mark of 35.5 percent (22-of-62). Neither team
shot extremely well from three-point range with the Eagles
successful on just one-of-eight and Chicago six-of-28 from beyond
the arc. The Maroons, who were led in scoring by Pancratz's
12 points, ended the game with a 39-33 advantage in the rebounding
department.
Emory returns to action next Friday (Feb. 20) when it plays at
Brandeis University in an 8:00 tip.