ATLANTA  Methodist men's basketball could not hang on for the win against Emory University as the host and 12th-ranked Eagles were able to escape with a 78-74 victory over the Monarchs in the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Friday evening.

Methodist went toe-to-toe with the Eagles. With under four minutes left to play, the game was tied at 64-64. An 8-0 run by Emory essentially sealed the game for the Eagles.

The two teams traded baskets in the first half as there were nine lead changes and five ties through the game's first 20 minutes. Then, in the second half, it was a game of runs as each team reeled off large runs and big leads.

Dante Burden and Kaymon Mitchell each finished with a team-high 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting each. Calvin Manley added 15 points on 7-of-11 from the field with a team-high nine rebounds.

THE ESSENTIALS
Final score: Emory def. Methodist, 78-74
Records: Methodist 18-11; Emory 22-4
Location:  WoodPec Gymnasium; George W. Woodruff Physical Education Center; Atlanta, Ga.
Event: First Round, NCAA Sectionals; NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After surrendering a 15-0 run and finding themselves trailing 62-52 with 6:27 left on the clock, the Monarchs showed the grit that got them into the NCAA Tournament in the first place. Methodist responded with a 12-2 run of its own to tie the game at 64-64 with under four minutes to play. Kaymon Mitchell scored eight straight points for the Monarchs in that string.
• Emory's Matthew Schner broke the tie with a three-pointer following the Eagles' being awarded an offensive rebound. In the next offensive possession, Romin Williams hit a stepback for a long two-pointer for the 69-64 lead. Those two plays served as the essential daggers.
• Emory added another three to complete its 8-0 run for a 72-64 advantage with 1:45 left on the clock. Kevin McLaughlin Jr. (with an assist from Mitchell) answered with a three in the very next possession but the Eagles made 6-of-10 free throws down the stretch to secure the win.
• The Monarchs started the second half with a 15-4 run to take a 45-38 lead, the largest of any team at the time, at the 14-minute mark. 
• The Eagles promptly one-upped the Monarchs with a 15-0 run that gave Emory a 60-50 advantage with under eight minutes to play.
• In the first half, Emory's largest lead was only five points with the score at 21-16 while Methodist never led by more than one point in the back-and-forth affair.

STAT FACTS

• Emory had 19 offensive boards to the Monarchs' eight. The extra possessions afforded the Eagles 10 more field goal attempts (66) than Methodist (56). In total, Methodist was outrebounded 45-28.
• Manley carried the torch into halftime for Methodist, going five-of-seven from the field. His 13 points and six rebounds at intermission were both game-highs.
• After playing just six minutes and scoring two points in the first half, Burden made his presence known in the second half by scoring 18 points in 20 minutes. His three steals were a team-high.
• Mitchell added six rebounds with a team-high three assists, plus a block. He had 14 of his 20 in the second half.
• Garren Dearman finished with 10 points, two assists, and two steals.
• After shooting 34.1 percent (13-of-38) from the field in the first half, Emory upped their percentages in the second period by going 16-of-28 for 57.1 percent.
• Lawrence Rowley led Emory with a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds.

UP NEXT
Emory advances to the second round of the NCAA Sectional and will play Pomona-Pitzer (Calif.) Colleges -- which defeated Centre (Ky.) College in the opening game Friday, 84-64 --  Saturday, March 7 at 7:30 p.m.