The Washington University men’s basketball team took their undefeated conference record into a weekend that had them matched up against the University of Rochester Yellowjackets and the No. 8 Emory University Eagles. They split the games, beating Rochester on Friday, 76-66, before falling to Emory on Sunday, 80-67.

Curran Neenan

Senior Jonathan Arenas looks on from the bench in the second half of the Bears’ 80-67 loss to Emory University on Sunday. Arenas had a triple-double (2 pts, 2 rebounds, 2 assists) in the game.

A focal point of the weekend was the return of sophomore forward Justin Hardy and senior guard Matt Nester, who got back into action after missing four and six games, respectively, due to injury.

“[It] feels good to be back,” Hardy said after his return Friday night. “There was a day where I was sitting out and I just realized how much I miss playing basketball. At no point did I ever feel I could ever leave this team and it feels good to be able to help contribute where I can.”

“I feel pretty good, I was just trying to play as hard as I possibly could and play my role,” Nester said. “It felt really great to be out there playing with the guys again.”

According to head coach Pat Juckem, Hardy and Nester are still working their way back to the level they left off on. “Both those guys are going to be critical for us down the stretch,” Juckem said.

The game against Rochester was a back and forth affair. After Wash. U. won the initial tipoff, a failed three point attempt with the shot clock running down led off three straight field goal misses for the Red and Green, allowing Rochester to strike first and take the early lead.

Sparked by Rochester’s senior forward Patrick Benka, who scored 11 of the team’s first 21 points, the Yellowjackets led until Bears’ sophomore guard Charlie Jacob nailed a mid-range jumper to tie it all up at 21 with 8:46 left to go in the first half. Benka ended the night with a game-high of 21 points.

An impressive “and one” play by senior forward DeVaughn Rucker gave the Bears their first lead of the game at 28-27 with three and a half minutes to go in the half. Rucker finished the night with a team-high 18 points. The Bears headed to the lockers for halftime with a slim two point advantage at 37-35.

In the second half, Rochester managed to jump up to a seven point lead before back-to-back threes by Hardy and junior guard Payden Webb. Then Webb made three throws after getting fouled at the three point line to tie it back up at 62 with five minutes to go. A couple of layups on the offensive end and key defensive blocks by Nolan and freshman Kevin Davet helped the Bears put the game away.

“Our theme for the game was outlasting. Rochester is a team that’s going to test you, since they run a very precise offense,” Juckem said. “They run their stuff with great pace, and we just needed to withstand and outlast them each possession.”

Throughout this first contest, the Bears did a good job at spreading the scoring load around and keeping the opposing team guessing all game long. Hardy, Rucker and Nolan each scored double-digit points.

“I think we just trust everyone to make a play,” Rucker said. “We trust anyone who’s shooting it at any time.”

Nolan surpassed 1000 points with a lay-up in the first half, making him the 25th player in school history all time to accomplish this feat.

“I give credit to everyone that’s helped me along the way,” Nolan said. “It’s special to reach this mark and look back on the journey of basketball. All the people that have helped me along the way, just could not have done it without them.”

The game on Sunday featured the two teams at the top of the University Athletic Association standings. After falling to Brandeis earlier in the season, Emory was a game behind the Bears in the conference. Through the first ten minutes, the game looked like the battle between two top-tier programs that it was, with the Bears keeping pace with Emory’s high-octane offense. Then a couple of scores by Emory’s Romin Williams gave the Eagles a ten-point advantage with just over five to go in the half. Emory ended the half with a 37-31 lead.

The visiting team came out blisteringly hot in the second half, going 6-7 from beyond the arc in the first eight minutes of play. Their lights-out shooting fueled a run that ultimately put the game out of reach. Their lead ballooned up to 23 points over the span of the first 13 minutes of play. The Red and Green’s effort at a comeback was not enough and they lost, 80-67.

Overall, Wash. U. played poorly on offense, shooting 30.3% from the field while Emory shot at 53.3%. The Eagles dominated physically as well as with technique, scoring 46 points in the paint to the Bears’ just 26. Nolan and Hardy shot 6-17 and 3-12 from the field, respectively.

Holden Hindes | Student Life

Senior Jonathan Arenas looks on from the bench in the second half of the Bears’ 80-67 loss to Emory University on Sunday. Arenas had a triple-double (2 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists) in the game.

“I think you got to give a lot of credit to Emory’s defense,” Nester said. “We might have had open looks but we were still a little sped up from how they play.”

Emory’s three point percentage skyrocketed in the second half, rising from 21.4% in the first half to 60% in the second. Wash. U. struggled from beyond the arch throughout the game, shooting 19.4%.

“The threes didn’t fall today, but I think we took a lot of good ones and they just unfortunately couldn’t fall, that happens some nights,” Nester said. “We weren’t living or dying by it, we just try to take the best shot possible every possession. They just didn’t fall.”

The Bears will play the exact same teams next weekend on the road. Rochester will get their chance for revenge on Friday in New York. Wash. U. will get their chance to redeem themselves against Emory on Sunday.

Nester said that maintaining poise and composure would be crucial for the Bears in the rematch against Emory. “It’s going to be another gritty game,” he said. “I think it’s going to come down to the wire and I think the team that makes all the winning plays is going to come home with a W.”

Juckem remained calm after the game.“We’re in a great position and we know we can get better. No one’s going to freak out. I mean, you’re disappointed, and it’s like what can we take and learn and apply?” he said. “Ultimately, we want to become the best versions of ourselves we can become, and we’ll sort out the wins and losses along the way. That’s really what’ll be our focus, just continue our growth.”