WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University women's
basketball team allowed the first basket, but never trailed again
today as the Judges defeated rival New York University, 67-62, in
the University Athletic Association (UAA) regular-season finale for
both teams. The win avenges Brandeis's two-point loss to the
Violets earlier this season in New York.
Brandeis (19-4, 10-4 UAA, No. 13 in nation by d3hoops.com, No. 14
WBCA) placed three starters in double figures. Junior forward
Caitlin Malcolm (Windsor Locks, Conn.) led all scorers with 17
points on six-of-nine from the floor with a 3-pointer and
four-of-six from the line. She also had a team-high nine rebounds
and a pair of blocks. Sophomore guard Jaime Capra (Old Bridge,
N.J.) added 14 points and seven rebounds, while junior backcourt
mate Alison Chase (Farmington, Conn.) had 13 points, two assists
and a team-high two steals. Brandeis outrebounded NYU, 46-38, and
shot 41.2% from the floor (21-51), while holding the NYU to 31.4%
(22-70).
NYU (18-7, 7-7 UAA, No. 22 WBCA) had just one player reach double
figures, junior Stephanie Ryba (New Britain, Conn.), who had 11
points, nine coming in the second half. Ryba also had a game-high
four steals, as the Violets forced 27 Brandeis turnovers. Junior
forward Karen Bachman had a game-high 10 rebounds for NYU.
After NYU opened the scoring with a lay-up by junior Sara
Rabinovitch (Newton, Mass.), Malcolm answered with her trifecta and
the Judges never relinquished the lead. Brandeis was ahead by as
many as nine points, 30-21, late in the first half on a put-back by
senior Amanda DeMartino (Toms River, N.J.), but the Violets scored
the last four points of the half to enter the locker room down,
31-25.
The Judges went back ahead by eight, 33-25, on Malcolm's lay-up to
start the second stanza, but the visitors turned up their
full-court pressure to score eight in a row, tying the game on two
Ryba free throws. Capra answered with a traditional three-point
play, and the Judges held the lead the rest of the way. With the
lead at 41-40, with 11:50 on the clock, Brandeis went on a 12-4
run, to open up a nine-point lead at 53-44. The NYU pressure again
cut the lead to three points with 33 seconds left, but the Judges
defense didn't allow the game to get any closer.