WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University men's basketball team improved to 8-0 for the first time since 1972-73 tonight as the Judges dispatched Elms College, 74-59, in Red Auerbach Arena.

Brandeis (8-0) trailed by one point a couple of times early, but 9-0 run midway through the first half turned a 10-9 deficit into an 18-10 lead that the Judges never relinquished. Brandeis was paced by junior forward Steve DeLuca (Merrimack, N.H.), who had 18 points on seven-of-12 from the floor, including a pair of 3-pointers. Junior guard Joe Coppens (Rockland, Mass.) scored 17 points on five-of-10 from the floor with a trifecta and six-of-six from the line. The classmates tied with two other juniors, guard Kwame Graves-Fulgham (Amherst, Mass.) and Stephen Hill (Brighton, Mass.) for team-high honors with six rebounds. Graves-Fulgham also led all players with six assists. Brandeis, which led 29-22 at halftime, owned a 41-29 advantage on the boards and outscored Elms, 19-12, on the free-throw line.

Elms (3-3) was paced by senior guard David Williams (Hartford, Conn.), who had 15 points on six-of-13 from the floor, including all three from beyond the arc. Williams also had a team-high five assists. Junior forward Renato Lindmets (Springfield, Mass.) added 13 points and a game-high nine rebounds. The Blazers had five blocked shots in the contest, including three by rookie forward Austin Sylvia (Seekonk, Mass.)

Brandeis is right back in action tomorrow night, hosting Clark University at 7:00 p.m. in an attempt to tie the 1972-73 squad for the second-best start in school history at 9-0. Elms travels to Husson College on Friday night for their North Atlantic Conference opener at 8:00 p.m.