Dustin Geitgey

Carnegie Mellon University started the second half on a 12-3 run, breaking a 35-35 tie, and went on to a 74-66 victory over The College of Wooster Tuesday night in a men's basketball regional match-up at Pittsburgh, Pa.

That key stretch included eight consecutive points for Carnegie Mellon (3-0), as the host Tartans turned a 39-38 game into a 47-38 lead during a 4:09 period. From then on, Wooster (1-2) attempted to cut into the deficit, but Carnegie Mellon had an answer each time with the margin staying between 5-to-12 for the remainder.

The Fighting Scots best opportunity to make things interesting came when they trailed 55-49 and had a pair of offensive possessions, but three shots at the basket were all off target.

Behind the play of Dustin Geitgey (West Salem, Ohio / Northwestern) and Bryan Wickliffe (Columbus, Ohio / St. Charles Prep), Wooster led for the first 15 minutes of the game. The Scots jumped out to an 11-2 lead during the opening 3:15 and they continued to hold the advantage until the 4:30 mark when the Tartans went ahead 29-27. Geitgey and Wickliffe combined for 18 first-half points, but both had to sit the final 7:36 due to foul trouble.

Overall, Carnegie Mellon shot a little bit better from the field than Wooster, 48.9 percent (23-of-47) to 41.4 (24-of-58), but the difference was the Tartans repeatedly getting to the free throw line. They ended up 26-of-41 (.634) from the charity stripe, compared to the Scots' 15-of-18 (.833).

Individually, Ian Franks (Greenwich, Ohio / South Central) paced Wooster in the scorebook for the third time in as many games, tossing in 14 points, while Geitgey ended up with 12. Marty Bidwell (Middletown, Ohio / Bishop Fenwick) produced a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds, leading all players in the latter category as well as in assists with four.

For Carnegie Mellon, Jack Anderson notched 19 points to lead four players in double figures, and Terrance Bouldin-Johnson was a difference maker with five key blocked shots.

The Scots challenging early schedule continues Saturday evening when they face No. 7 ranked University of Wisconsin-Platteville as part of Hanover College's Collier Tournament.