The Emory men's basketball team (18-4, 8-3 UAA) played its final home game of its regular season on Sunday afternoon, welcoming the Brandeis Judges (14-8, 5-6 UAA) to the Woodruff P.E. Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Despite falling in a 16-2 hole to start the game and trailing by five points with just over a minute left in regulation, the Eagles stormed back to earn an 89-83 victory in overtime against the Judges.
 
Prior to the back-and-forth overtime thriller, the Emory men's basketball program honored its senior class with its Senior Day festivities.  
The win was fueled by the electric guard tandem of Jair Knight and Ben Pearce. The two both rattled off 20 points in the win, both making crucial shots down the stretch. Pearce had the game-tying bucket in the waning moments of regulation when he fought through contact to send home a layup before hitting the free throw. Knight was the one to sure up the win in overtime, knocking down a dagger three with just over a minute left in overtime. Senior Logan Shanahan also finished just shy of a double-double, recording 11 points and nine rebounds.
 
The script went out the window for Emory early, though, as Brandeis opened the game on a dominant 16-2 run. The Judges were a dominant 7-of-11 from the field in the opening five minutes whereas the Eagles were 0-for-6, including missing four shots from beyond the arc. It wasn't until the 15:00-minute mark that the Eagles made their first field goal, with Shanahan knocking down a midrange jumper.
 
The shot from Shanahan seemed to be the spark the offense needed. Emory knocked down a three on four consecutive possessions, with Shanahan and Knight each hitting one and sophomore AJ Harris knocked down two.
 
While the Eagles offense started to find its footing, the Judges kept rolling right along. Over that run for the Eagles, the Judges continued to hit shots, including a three pointer from Toby Harris. At the halfway mark of the first half, it was Brandeis out in front with a 28-18 lead.
 
Emory stormed back in the seven minutes that followed, though, going on a 14-7 run to pull within one possession for the first time since the opening moments. Sophomore Spencer Hall had four points over the run, including an acrobatic and-one finish at the rack. With less than three minutes remaining in the half, Ben Pearce finished off a layup to take the first lead of the game at 36-35.
 
Brandeis would end on a 9-6 run, though, to recollect the lead at 44-40 to head into the break.
 
Pearce set the tone in the second half, knocking down a three on the opening possession to kick off a 10-0 run to start the half. Harris had five points during the run, ending it with a layup and the foul to collect three points. Over the next six minutes, the two were even, both scoring 14 points with the score being 64-61 in Emory's favor with 10:40 showing on the clock.
 
The two continued to trade blows, staying within one possession of each other until the 1:51 mark when Elias Rodl sent home a layup to bring the score to 81-76. On the ensuing possession, Emory coughed up the ball as the Judges looked to ice away the game with just 60 ticks left on the clock.
 
Emory had other plans. The Judges missed a shot on the offensive end before Knight knocked down a jumper to pull within three. Emory forced a turnover on the ensuing possession, and it was Pearce with the tough finish through the foul to finish a three-point play and tie the game at 81 apiece. The Judges once again were unable to find the bottom of the net on a potential game-winner, sending this one to overtime.
 
The Judges struck first in overtime, knocking down two free throws to regain a lead. Knight answered the call, though, and knocked down two free throws of his own, bringing the score to 83-83 with two minutes left. Needing a clutch basket, the Eagles turned to Knight and he delivered. Posting up on the wing, Knight drilled a dagger three-pointer to secure Emory's 17^th win of the season.
 
Emory battled out of several holes that seemed nearly insurmountable for the win, securing the 8^th victory in UAA play. With just three games to play, the Eagles are two games back of #2 NYU, who sit at 10-1.
 
Emory will wrap up its regular season with three games on the road. They'll start with #24 Chicago next Friday. The contest with the Maroons is slated for a 6:30 PM start.