NORTH CANTON, Ohio - The Walsh Cavaliers men's basketball team closed out 2019 with a home non-conference win on Tuesday (Dec. 31) over the Carnegie Mellon Tartans at Alumni Arena, leading for 39 minutes out of 40. 

Walsh improved to 10-2 overall with a 92-72 win over the Division III Tartans. 

After a scoreless first 53 seconds, Sterling Christy started a 7-0 run with a dunk after an offensive rebound. JT Shumate made a jumper and Darryl Straughter nailed a three pointer as Walsh led by seven two minutes in. The Tartans closed the gap to five twice before Christian Montague scored four straight points. Carnegie Mellon answered with a three and trailed 13-7 at the first media timeout. Four different players scored on an 8-2 run, pushing Walsh's lead to 21-9 with 12:50 left in the first half. Carnegie Mellon went on a 10-2 run as they trimmed the lead to 23-19 over the next two minutes of gametime. A Straughter three pointer ignited a 12-2 Walsh run, as the Cavaliers led by 14 with 6:39 left before halftime. Shumate put the Cavaliers up by 17 twice in the final six minutes with three pointers. The Tartans scored the final four points of the half, trailing 52-39 at the intermission. 

Both teams shot 55% from the floor in the first half but Walsh was nine-of-15 from three point range in the opening stanza. 

The teams exchanged baskets over the first six minutes of the as Carnegie Mellon pulled within eight points, 61-53. Over the next six minutes, Walsh reached their largest lead with a 15-2 run. Mark Mokros continued his hot shooting with two threes on the run while four other players added points. Walsh led 76-65 with 8:30 to go. The Tartans immediately went on an 8-0 run, closing the gap to 76-63 with 4:50 left in the ballgame. Mokros added a three pointer and Alphonso Baity scored a layup in the closing seconds as Walsh won 92-72 with five points in the final 20 seconds. 

Shumate finished with a game-high 21 points and nine rebounds. He made eight shots, including four three pointers in the game. Mokros made six three pointers, tying a career-high as he scored 18 points in a starting role. Montague scored 16 points, shooting 70% from the floor (7-10) while compiling five steals. Straughter added 15 points in 26 minutes with three treys. Christy tallied ten points, seven rebounds and five assists in 30 minutes of action. 

As a team, Walsh shot 53.0% (35-66) overall with 16 three pointers made. 

The Cavaliers will open 2020 with a G-MAC battle with the Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers on Thursday (Jan. 2) evening. Tipoff from Alumni Arena is set for 7:30 PM. 

-WC-