Need to Know
Score: Piedmont 64, Emory 83
Records: Lions 0-1, Eagles 1-0
Location: Atlanta, Georgia - Emory University

ATLANTA, Ga. - In the 2017-18 season opener Wednesday, the Piedmont College men's basketball team dropped an 83-64 decision on the road to Emory University. The Eagles are ranked #17 in the D3hoops.com preseason top-25 released earlier this month. 

Piedmont took the lead out of the gate with a 5-0 advantage, but that was the largest lead of the game for PC. It was a tight contest in the early going as neither team led by more than five until Emory went on an 11-0 run and led 41-28 at the break. 

It was a 3-point shootout to start the second half with two 3-pointers by each team in the first five minutes of play. The Lions continued to fight nearly matching the Eagles point-for-point in the second half as Emory outscored Piedmont just 42-36 in the second half. 

JUSTIN VALLEJO led all scorers with 17 points as four of Piedmont's starters contributed double-digit scoring performances. Four of Emory's starters did the same, but they had a total of five players to score in double figures. 

Turning Point
--With just over five minutes remaining in the first half, the Eagles went on an 11-0 run to take a 36-24 lead and never let the Lions back within nine points. 

Standout Performances
--JUSTIN VALLEJO led all scorers with 17 points in the contest while MARQUISE LANIER was impressive as well with 16 points contributed. 

Inside the Box Score
--The Lions scored just six points off the bench compared to Emory who tallied 35 points from non-starters. 

News & Notes
--Piedmont was outscored in the paint 44-22 as the Eagles doubled up on the Lions in the paint. 

Up Next
--The Lions take on Kennesaw State Thursday in an exhibition contest on the road at 7:00 p.m.

How to Follow
To stay up to date on all information regarding Piedmont College Athletics, be sure to visit PiedmontLions.com and connect with the Green and Gold on social media. Follow the Lions on Twitter: @PiedmontLions, Instagram: @PiedmontLions, and Facebook. To follow each Piedmont athletic program on social media, use the Social Media Directory at PiedmontLions.com or click here.