ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- The Brandeis University women's basketball
team rallied from a nine-point halftime deficit to defeat the host
University of Rochester, 63-51, in a University Athletic
Association contest tonight. The win marks the first for the Judges
in the Palestra since the 1998-99 season.
Brandeis (16-3, 7-3 UAA), the No. 15 team in the nation according
to d3hoops.com, used a balanced scoring attack to snap their
six-game road losing streak to the Yellowjackets. Three starters
scored 12 points each, senior center Christine Clancy (Yarmouth,
Maine), junior forward Caitlin Malcolm (Windsor Locks, Conn.) and
sophomore guard Jaime Capra (Old Bridge, N.J.). Brandeis also got a
key 10 points off the bench from rookie forward Lauren Orlando
(Peabody, Mass.). Capra led all players with nine rebounds, while
Clancy pulled down seven caroms. Senior guard Amanda DeMartino
(Toms River, N.J.) led all players with five assists.
Rochester (15-6, 6-4 UAA) got 16 points and eight rebounds from
Alex Porter, but no other 'Jacket had more than six points or five
rebounds. Emily Bango led UR with four assists.
Brandeis trailed at halftime, 30-21, shooting just 29 percent from
the floor (8-27), while UR hit 48 percent (12-25). The Judges
turned the table in the second half, connecting on 52 percent
(12-23) and holding the hosts to to 21 percent (6-28). Brandeis
also outscored Rochester from the free throw line in the second,
15-7.
The Judges were down, 46-38, with 10:42 remaining when they turned
up the defense, allowing just one UR field goal the rest of the
way. Offensively, Capra and Orlando jump-started the comeback, with
Capra scoring six straight points to get the Judges within two,
46-44, on a pair of free throws, while Orlando scored the next
eight Judges points on a traditional three-point play, a lay-up and
a trifecta to give the Judges a 52-46 lead they wouldn't
relinquish.
Brandeis next takes on Carnegie Mellon on Sunday at 3:00 p.m.,
while UR hosts NYU at the same time.