Frigid second half dooms men's basketball vs. Rochester, 77-53

WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University men's basketball team had a frigid shooting performance in the second half tonight as the Judges lost their University Athletic Association (UAA) home opener to the University of Rochester, 77-53, in Red Auerbach Arena. With the loss, the Judges fall to 6-7 overall, 0-2 in the UAA. The Yellowjackets improve to 8-5, 1-1 UAA.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The teams stayed close over the first 13 minutes of the contest, which saw four ties and two lead changes.
• The largest lead of the opening portions of the game was four for either team.
• The contest was tied at 21-21 with 8:44 remaining when Brandeis's John Powell (Ashland, Mass./Brimmer and May School) hit a lay-up to give the hosts a 23-21 lead.
• Rochester's Mack Monatgue answered with a 3-pointer and UR never trailed again.
• The Judges were within two at 34-32 with 3:37 left in the first after a Robinson Vilmont (Cambridge, Mass./Wilbraham and Monson Acad.) trifecta.
• Rochester went on a 12-2 run over the next 2:17, opening up a 44-34 lead with 1:20 to go in the stanza.
• Brandeis's Colby Smith (No. Andover, Mass./No. Andover) scored the Judges' last five points to make it a 46-39 deficit at the break.
• Rochester put the game away with a 14-2 run over the first 5:16 of the second half, taking a 60-41 lead. They never looked back, leading by as many as 26 points.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Both teams shot lights out in the first half – Brandeis hit 54.8% (17-of-31), 54.8%, but Rochester connected on 58.6% (17-29). The Yellowjackets outscored Brandeis 7-1 from the line and hit one more 3-pointer to take their seven-point halftime lead.
• The Judges struggled mightily from the floor in the second, making just 15.4% (4-of-26), to finish at 36.8% (21-of-57) for the game, their second-worst of the season.
• They scored just 14 points in the second half, their lowest output in a single half of the season.
• UR was slowed to 43.5% (10-of-23) after the break, but still finished at 51.9% (27-52) for the game.
• Rochester won the battle of the boards, 36-30.

FOR BRANDEIS

• Vilmont led the team in scoring with nine points. He was the only Brandeis player with more than two field goals, going 3-for-9 with a trifecta and two free throws.
• Powell finished with six points and a team-high five rebounds.
• Sophomore Carlin Haymon (Boston, Mass./Rivers School) tied for game-high honors with three assists.

FOR ROCHESTER

• Four players scored in double figures, led by Sam Borst-Smith's game-high 18. He had 13 in the first half.
• Jacob Wittig and Jared Seltzer each had 11 for the 'Jackets, while Tucker Knox had 10 off the bench.
• Borst-Smith and Seltzer also tied for game-high honors with six rebounds and three assists each.

UP NEXT

• Brandeis returns to UAA play on Sunday morning at 11 a.m. against Emory, while Rochester travels to New York City to take on NYU Sunday at noon. Emory handed #14 NYU their first loss of the season tonight, 71-64, in the Big Apple.

For more information on Brandeis Athletics, please visit brandeisjudges.com or follow us on Twitter or Instagram @brandeisjudges, or follow us on Facebook.

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