Senior Will Grudzinski takes an uncontested 3-point shot in a game earlier this season. (Ben Ganz | Staff Photographer)

This weekend, the No. 18 WashU men’s basketball team took on two conference opponents on the road, as it looked to improve its conference record going into the second half of the season. The Bears dropped a close game to Carnegie Mellon University on Jan. 16, but they rebounded to defeat Case Western Reserve University on Jan. 18. 

The unranked Tartans got off to a hot start, jumping out with a 10-4 lead. However, the Bears swung back with an 11-0 run, propelled by first-year guard Josh Kim. He jump-started the run with a layup, followed by a steal and swift dish to fellow first-year guard Theo Rocca for a fast break basket. Kim then took it to the rack for another clean basket. WashU capped off its run with a couple of smooth jumpers from junior forward Jake Davis and senior center Calvin Kapral. Carnegie Mellon would end the half on an 8-0 run, leaving the Bears trailing 32-25 at halftime.  

Coming out of the locker room to begin the third quarter, the Bears looked to set the tone early. However, they would face fierce resistance from the Tartans, who conceded just 2 points in the first five minutes of the second half. With 13:48 left in the game and Carnegie Mellon up by 11, WashU needed a spark plug to rally behind, and it found just that in sophomore forward Connor May.

May took over the game, scoring 13 straight points for WashU. His offensive repertoire was on full display, as he knocked down a 3-pointer and an acrobatic layup, followed up by back-to-back threes and a pair of free throws. Still, with just five minutes remaining, the Tartans kept a 7-point lead. 

WashU gradually chipped away at the deficit, with crucial buckets coming from May, senior guard Yogi Oliff, and junior guard Ryan Cohen. Down 2 points with 3:02 remaining, Kim swung the ball to Oliff for a three, and the Bears briefly took the lead.

After a free throw from the Tartans tied the game up at 60 apiece, the Bears would turn the ball over and give up a fast break layup. After a gritty last couple of minutes and a few missed free throws by Carnegie Mellon, the Bears had the ball down 64-61. They came out of a timeout with a play drawn up for their sharpshooter, May, but he missed a contested 3-pointer at the buzzer.

WashU shot 37% from the field as a team and struggled to find open looks due to Carnegie Mellon’s suffocating defense. May led the team offensively, putting up 18 points and 17 rebounds, a career high, in his heroic effort. 

Following the upset against Carnegie Mellon, WashU would bounce back in its second game of the weekend against Case Western Reserve University on Sunday, Jan. 18, with the Bears holding on to defeat the Spartans 100-93.

Unlike in their previous matchup against Carnegie Mellon, the Bears settled into the game quickly. Cohen got the scoring started early with a fast break 3-pointer. Soon after, the Bears would go on a dominant 13-0 run, with all points coming from the tandem of Kapral and May. Kapral showcased his arsenal of post moves and mid-range jumpshots, while May continued his accurate shooting with several impressive jumpshots. 

The Bears would end the first half with a thunderous fastbreak dunk from sophomore forward Anthony Przybilla, giving them a 20-point lead going into halftime. 

To begin the second half, the Bears continued their dominant performance. Oliff and Cohen would keep the Spartans at bay with their rim-running playstyles. Rocca had his fingerprints all over the second half, nailing several key 3-pointers and getting to the line at will.

With 10 minutes remaining in the game, the Bears maintained an 18-point lead. Case Western attempted to rally back in the closing minutes of the game, scoring in short bursts to cut the deficit down to 7 with 6:36 left to go. Despite the run from the Spartans, the Bears responded accordingly. Several key buckets from May, Cohen, and Oliff allowed the Bears to maintain a relatively comfortable lead going into the final moments.

A dagger layup from Rocca sealed the deal with 0:15 remaining, and WashU defeated Case Western in a high-scoring barn burner, 100-93. 

Every member of the WashU squad showed up in the Bears’ Sunday victory, with Rocca notching a career-high 19 points in just 19 minutes. Cohen, Oliff, Przybilla, and May followed closely behind with 17, 16, 14, and 14 points, respectively. 

The Bears now sit at 11-3 overall and 1-2 in conference play. They play next on Friday, Jan. 23, when they will host New York University.