Box Score Senior Jake Davis totaled a career-high 34 points and classmate McPherson Moore added a personal-best 22 points, including the winning bucket with 12 seconds remaining, to give the Emory men's basketball a dramatic victory over Christopher Newport University in the championship game of the Captains Shootout hosted by CNU. The Eagles raised their record to 3-2 following the 92-90 triumph over the Captains who suffered their first setback in four outings.
Davis ended the day sinking 11-of-19 from the floor, including three-of-seven from three-point range, and was successful on all nine of his free throw opportunities. Moore, who scored 15 second-half points, converted eight field goals in 13 tries, including four treys in nine attempts. Sophomore Will Trawick and junior Michael Florin chipped in 12 points each with Florin dishing out eight assists over 36 minutes of play.
After building a 48-39 lead at halftime, Emory used a 13-2 run with Davis knocking down a pair of treys as part of his eight points in that burst, take what seemed to be a commanding 61-43 lead with 17:00 left in the game. After CNU responded with seven straight points to whittle the Eagles' cushion to 11, Emory scored seven of the contest's next nine points, with Moore accounting for five, in taking a 68-52 margin. With Moore knocking down back-to-back triples and Davis adding five points in fueling an 11-4 charge, Emory still enjoyed a 79-62 lead with 10:15 remaining. However, CNU battled its way back into contention with a 13-3 barrage over a four-minute stretch, with Evan Thorpe picking up nine points, to slice its deficit to seven points, 82-75, with 5:54 left. After a bucket by junior Josh Schattie extended Emory's lead to nine points, the Captains continued their comeback with a 9-2 sprint to draw to within two points, 86-84, with 3:46 on the clock. A pair of free throws by Davis followed by a bucket by Moore pushed Emory's lead back to six points, 90-84, but a pair of free throws by Terry Jackson with 44 ticks on the clock capped a 6-0 CNU run and knotted the score at 90-90. On Emory's ensuing possession, it ran the clock down to about three seconds left on the shot clock when Moore pulled up from the free throw line area and sank a jumper that gave the Eagles the heart-stopping win. CNU had a chance to tie or win in the waning seconds but saw a shot attempt on a drive attempt miss its mark.
Emory concluded the afternoon sinking 50 percent (31-of-62) from the floor while CNU finished with a 47.6 percent (30-of-63) effort. Both teams shot the ball well from distance with the Eagles sinking a season-high 10 triples in 22 attempts (.455) and the Captains successful on nine-of-20 (.450). The Eagles were almost perfect from the foul line, draining 20-of-21 while CNU struggled, converting just 21-of-42 tries.
In a fast-paced first half, Emory hit 51.5 percent (17-of-33) of its field goal attempts and converted 10-of-11 from the charity stripe en route to its nine-point intermission lead. Davis paced Emory's scoring effort during the opening 20 minutes with 17 points, sinking seven-of-10 from the floor and both his free throw opportunities. Florin added 10 points and four assists during the first stanza while Moore came off the bench to chip in seven points. The Eagles and Captains traded baskets repeatedly during the opening 8:18 of the game with the score being tied on nine occasions during that stretch. After a CNU bucket by Tra Benefield knotted the score at 23-23, the Eagles scored seven straight points, four by Davis, to take a 30-23 lead with 9:51 left. The Captains drew to within one point, but a triple by Moore stretched the Eagles' advantage to five points with 6:50 on the clock. Holding a 40-38 lead, Emory closed out the final 2:13 of the half on an 8-1 spurt with Davis and Moore registering four points apiece. CNU converted 42.9 percent (12-of-28) its field goal opportunities but struggled at the charity stripe, hitting on 10-of- 22.
Davis was named MVP of the Captains Shootout while Moore was the other Emory representative to earn a spot on the All-Tournament Team.
Emory returns to action on Saturday (Nov. 30) when it meets Maryville College in the LaGrange Thanksgiving Tournament.
NOTES – The 56 combined points by Davis and Moore represented the fourth-highest scoring effort by an Emory duo … Davis now claims 29 career contests of 20 or more points … Davis's scoring total today bested his previous high of 33 points scored against LaGrange College on Nov. 26, 2011 … Moore's previous scoring high in an Emory uniform was 19 points that he posted on four occasions during the 2012-13 campaign …
Emory has won 31 of 34 decisions during Zimmerman's tenure as head coach when scoring 90 or more points … Emory made the most of its foul shooting opportunities at the Captains shootout, hitting 87.7 percent (50-of-57) from the stripe.
