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Chris Klimchock scored a career-high 29 points, while Sean Kett added 10 and three key rebounds to lead the Bearcats to a 70-66 comeback victory over Carnegie Mellon University in day one of the CMU Tournament.

The host Tartans got off to a fast start, opening a 9-0 lead.  Saint Vincent didn't manage to score until over five minutes into the game, when Armani Fountain hit a jumper, but Fountain's score was followed by buckets from Chris Klimchock and Dillon Stith, making the score 9-6 with 12:43 remaining in the first half.

After a CMU score, the Bearcats went on another run, scoring ten straight points, keyed by strong play from Ed Wright and Sean Kett.  Wright had a pair of assists, while Kett scored four points, blocked a shot, and tallied a steal.

Later in the half, after a pair of free throws by Kett, SVC led 21-16, but the hosts tied the game at the 3:18 mark (21-21).  It was a see-saw battle the rest of the half, until the Tartans scored at the buzzer.  Saint Vincent attempted to inbound the ball with 0.8 seconds remaining, but CMU's Andre Moore stole the ball, immediately turned and sent a 35-footer into the basket for a three-pointer that made it 29-26 at the break.

CMU came out firing to start the second half, hitting two straight three-pointers to increase the lead to nine (35-26).  With 11:30 to go, the Bearcats had fallen behind by ten, 48-38, but Fountain came up with a putback and a pair of free throws to start a 6-0 run, which eventually grew to a 12-1 streak after a putback by Dillon Stith and a steal and fast break from Edmond Wright II. 

After a pair of free throws by Klimchock, the Bearcats took the lead, 50-49, before the Tartans stormed back, in what turned into a battle at the charity stripe.  At one point, SVC held CMU without a field goal for just under six minutes, while 18 of 20 points scored in total by both teams at one stretch came one at a time.

CMU then got on a roll, opening a 58-50 lead after a 9-0 run of their own, but Klimchock stopped the run with a pair of free throws with 5:02 remaining.  His shots were followed by two freebies for Stith that made it 58-54.  After two shots at the line from the hosts made it 60-54, Wright hit one of two shots, followed by two from Kett that made it 60-57. 

A two-point bucket was then scored by Matt Loebbaka of the Tartans at the 2:15 mark, giving the hosts a five-point edge, but Klimchock hit a jumper less than 10 seconds later in reply.  With 1:37 to go, Klimchock made one of the game's key plays, stealing the ball and taking it coast to coast for a score, drawing a foul in the process.  The three-point play tied the game at 62-62. 

After a pair of free throws by CMU's Rashaun Riley, another drive and score by Klimchock tied the game.  On the next possession, Stith came up with a clutch block, and Isaac Turner scored on the ensuing fast break, making it 66-64, Bearcats.

A missed shot by CMU led to a rebound by Kett, who was fouled.  He then hit both shots to make it a four-point game, 68-64. 

CMU then drew a foul, hitting both shots to cut the gap back to two, but Klimchock iced the game with a pair of free throws with 5.7 seconds left, as SVC held on for the win.

Klimchock went 12-12 from the free throw line on the day, part of an impressive 26-30 showing by the team.  Fountain, JC Howard and Turner each had four rebounds.

The Bearcats will face #19 ranked St. Mary's of Maryland on Sunday afternoon at 3PM in the Tournament Championship.