Box Score The Emory men's basketball team put on a lethal display of offensive firepower Saturday evening, tying the program's fifth-highest point total in school annals, in earning a victory at home over Piedmont College The Eagles upped their record to 7-2 following a 109-70 triumph over the Lions who fell to 0-6.
The relentless Emory attack produced six double-figure scorers and saw 13 of the 14 players who saw action find their way into the scoring column. By the time the dust had settled, Emory had cracked the century mark for the ninth time during head coach Jason Zimmerman's six-year tenure as head coach and the 39th time in school history.
Emory ended the night by hitting 48.9 percent (43-of-88) from the floor with its field goal total tying the second-highest game total on the Emory game chart. The Eagles rained down 17 three-point field goals (second-highest Emory game total ever) in 38 attempts and had 10 players convert at least attempt from beyond the arc. Emory recorded a 61-31 margin in rebounding including a 26-9 bulge on the offensive end that helped lead to a 35-6 advantage in second-chance points.
Junior McPherson Moore led the offensive parade with a season-best 19 points on the strength of seven-of-13 from the floor including five-of-seven from distance. Moore also chalked up a season high with nine rebounds that was second high on the squad. Senior Michael Friedberg (14 pts.) and junior Jake Davis (10 pts.) were other starters to score in double figures while reserves Nash Oh (12 pts.), and freshmen Davis Rao (11 pts.) and sophomore Alex Foster (11 pts), also came away with double digits. Foster also paced all players with 13 rebounds and in the process notched his first double-double in an Emory uniform.
The Eagles never trailed and raced out to a 15-0 lead before Piedmont picked up its first field goal 5:31 into the game. The Lions fought back and trailed by a 17-11 margin with 11:57 left in the opening half before Emory embarked on a 13-2 burst over a three-minute stretch, keyed by five points by Oh, to surge to a 30-13 cushion. Maintaining a 12-point cushion, the Eagles put more distance between themselves and Piedmont with an 11-0 blitz, started by a triple by Moore and with five points from Oh, to claim a 50-27 lead. Shooting 50 percent from the floor, Emory went into the intermission with a 54-32 advantage.
Moore scored 12 points in the second half, sinking four-of-five from three-point range, including a triple that closed out an 11-0 sprint that pushed Emory ahead, 70-40, early in the second half. The Eagles would lead by as many as 41 points following a bucket by Rao with 4:13 left in the game.
Emory will break for final exams and the holidays before returning to action with a home date vs. top-ranked Virginia Wesleyan on Dec. 30 starting at 2:00 p.m.
