CHICAGO, Ill. – Eight different players – four for each team – scored in double figures today, but the visiting Brandeis University Judges could not overcome the host University of Chicago Maroons in a University Athletic Association men's basketball contest as the Judges fell, 85-75, in the Windy City. With the loss, Brandeis falls to 8-6 overall, 0-3 in the UAA, their first 0-3 start in the league since 2005-06. Chicago improves to 9-5, 2-1 UAA.
Both teams shot well from the floor, with the Judges connecting on 50 percent (28-56) and the Maroons on 52.8% (28-53). Brandeis hit 6-of-20 (30%) from 3-point range compared to 5-of-14 (35.7%) for UC. There was a large disparity at the free-throw line, however, as Brandeis called for 27 fouls to 18 for the Maroons. UC outscored Brandeis by 11 points from the line (24-13) in a 10-point contest, as the hosts took 40 foul shots to 18 for the visitors. Chicago also controlled the glass, with a 35-28 edge that included 14-10 on the offensive glass that they were able to convert into a 19-7 margin in second-chance points.
Brandeis's leading scorer was senior guard Derek Retos (No. Attleboro, Mass./Brimmer and May Acad.) who scored 12 points, all from beyond the arc on 4-of-9 shooting. With his four trifectas, Retos has 194 for his career. He can become the third player in school history with 200 career 3-pointers with six more and move past Mark Peabody '90 into second place on the Judges' all-time list with seven more. Retos trails all-time 3-point leader Steve Harrington '92 by 15.
Sophomore Ishmael Kalilou (Windsor, Conn./Taft School) came off the bench with his third double-digit scoring game of the season with 11 points, hitting 5-of-5 from the floor with one free throw. Seniors Alex Stoyle (Goffstown, N.H./Tilton School) and Gabriel Moton (St. Petersburg, Fla./St. Petersburg) each scored 10 points, with all of Stoyle's and eight of Moton's coming in the second half. Moton led the Judges with seven rebounds, while Retos and rookie Robinson Vilmont (Cambridge, Mass./Wilbraham and Monson Acad.) each had three assists.
Chicago was paced by junior Royce Muskeyvalley, who scored 12 of his game-high 18 points in the second half. Sophomore Jordan Smith and senior Wayne Simon had 13 points each, with Simon's coming off the bench. Sophomore Alex Voss notched 12 points in reserve. Voss had six rebounds and tied for game-high honors with three assists, while classmate Nate Brooks led all players with eight caroms. Derek Davis also had three helpers for the home team.
The first half featured six lead changes, most coming early in the contest. Chicago was ahead, 15-8, after an Eric Robinson 3-pointer at the 12:17 mark, but the Judges rallied with a 12-4 run of their own over the next two-plus minutes. The stretch was sparked by rookie Samuel Dowden's (Andover, Mass./Andover) lay-up and 3-pointer, followed by a traditional three-point play by senior Ben Bartoldus (Hillsborough, N.H./Proctor Acad.). After two Vilmont free throws, rookie Tim Reale (Mason, Ohio/St. Andrews School, R.I.) connected at the 9:45 mark to give the visitors a 20-19 lead.
Unfortunately for the Judges, Chicago scored the game's next six points – sparked by a Smith dunk – and the Maroons never trailed again. They took a 39-31 lead into the locker room and were able to keep it a two-possession game the rest of the way. Brandeis was within five at 48-43 after Retos dialed long distance at the 15:21 mark and again after Moton hit a lay-up at 14:24, but 13 unanswered points after that from the hosts – six by Simon - put the game out of reach just 3:11 later.
Brandeis will return home for their first UAA home game next Friday night against the University of Rochester at 8 p.m. as part of their Hoopcoming celebration. Chicago will be at Carnegie Mellon at the same time.