The men’s basketball team recorded their highest offensive output of the season with a 96-82 home conference victory against Hunter College on Saturday afternoon in the ARC Arena.
Senior guard Carl Emengo (Brooklyn, N.Y./Canarsie) scored 21 of his game-high 27 points (6-9 fg), including eight free throws, in the second half to power the Bearcats.
The Bearcats currently sit in second place in the conference standings, based on available information through Saturday evening.
The game was tied at 37 at halftime, but the visiting Hawks (12-8, 6-3) scored the first basket for a brief 39-37 lead to start the second half.
Behind Emengo and a pair of consecutive three-pointers from Adrian Serrano (Brooklyn, N.Y./Christ the King), the Bearcats took control to build a 76-60 advantage with nine minutes left.
The Hawks went with a press to try to ignite a comeback, but guard Ben Crane (Spring Valley, N.Y./Spring Valley) answered with a key three-point play, a layup, and a pair of free throws to up the advantage to 19 points (88-69) with four minutes.
Baruch finished the second half shooting 57 percent (20-35) to pick up the victory on a day that featured basketball alumni from the past 20 years in attendance to watch and play their annual game.
Emengo led all scorers with 27 points and eight assists, while Serrano had 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc.
Junior six-foot-nine center Phil Schatz (Middle Village, N.Y./Archbishop Molloy) had another terrific game of his emerging career with 21 points, including 15 in the first half that played a big factor in keeping the game close with Hunter. He also recorded eight rebounds and four assists.
Laurence Smith (Harlem, N.Y./Frederick Douglass) missed a solid double-double with nine points, 13 rebounds, and two steals.
Gerard Ciarleglio (Bradenton, FL/Cardinal Mooney) led Hunter with 23 points (8-12 fg), five rebounds, and four assists.
The men’s basketball team will take a break from their conference schedule to host New Paltz State in a non-conference game on Wednesday night. Tip-off in the ARC Arena is scheduled for 7:00 pm.
