ORANGE, Calif. (December 20, 2025) – Chapman University limited Emerson College to 37-percent shooting and led start to finish in posting an 88-63 victory in a non-conference men's basketball matchup at Harold Hutton Sports Center this evening.
Senior Jake Heberle led three from Chapman in double-figures with a game-high 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including 4-for-6 from three-point distance, with five rebounds, four assists and a steal. Sophomore Joe Keegan added 13 points, connecting on 3-of-6 threes, three rebounds and two assists, while classmate TJ Tittelfitz contributed 14 points, converting 7-of-8 free-throws, and three boards. Senior Cruz Billings chipped in nine points and seven assists for the Panthers.
Juniors Shay Roban and BJ McNeil each netted a team-high nine points off the bench for Emerson. Roban drained 3-of-4 three-pointers and grabbed two rebounds, while McNeil added two rebounds, an assist and steal for the Lions. Postgrad Asher Gardiner registered eight points, two boards and three steals.
Chapman never trailed, grabbing the lead with an Heberle three-pointer 13-seconds in and held it for the remaining 39:37 of the contest. The Panthers scored the first seven points of the game and held Emerson without a field goal until sophomore Giulio Volonte connected from beyond the arc 3:26 into the game to trim its deficit to 7-4. Tittelfitz scored the next five points to extend the Chapman lead to eight points (12-4) after five minutes.
Emerson followed with a 9-3 spurt behind four points from McNeil to draw within two (15-13) after a Roban three-pointer with 11:33 to play in the first half. The Lions trailed by four (20-16) after a second Roban triple midway through the half, but Chapman followed with 19-6 run to open a 17-point lead (39-22) after a three from junior Scott Schulz with three minutes remaining in the half and the Panthers lead wouldn't dip inside double figures the rest of the way, carrying an 18-point margin (47-29) into the intermission.
Noteworthy
- Chapman finished 14-for-30 (46.7-percent) from three-point range, shooting 48.3% (28-58) from the floor overall.
- Emerson saw its first five game win streak since 2022 halted with the loss to close out the first semester schedule.
- Emerson was outrebounded (36-32) for the second-straight game and the fourth game this season overall.
- Junior Guillermo Gasset Ruiz was the lone Emerson player to play more than 20-minutes in the contest at 21:10.
- Emerson starters finished a combined 3-for-17 (17.7%) from the floor.
- Emerson reserves accounted for 52 of its points.
Up Next
Emerson (6-4, 2-0 NEWMAC) is off until after the New Year when it hosts Bowdoin College for a non-conference clash on Hank Smith Court at Bobbi Brown and Steven Plofker Gymnasium on Saturday, January 3, at 1 p.m. Chapman (6-3, 2-0 SCIAC) hosts Hardin-Simmons University on Monday, December 29, at 2 p.m.
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