WALTHAM, Mass. - In their first game as a nationally-ranked team in 2008, the Brandeis University women's basketball team put four players in double figures tonight as the Judges defeated visiting Emmanuel College, 94-52, in Red Auerbach Arena. Brandeis improved to 6-0 with the win, while the Saints fell to 2-3.
The Judges were paced by a game-high 22 points from senior forward Lauren Orlando (Peabody, Mass./Peabody), marking the second time in three career games against EC that she eclipsed 20 points. Orlando hit 8-of-14 from the field and 6-of-7 from the line, connecting for 15 points in the first half.
Sophomore reserve forward Amber Strodthoff (DePere, Wis./DePere) notched a career-best 14 points in just 15 minutes off the bench. She hit 5-of-6 from the floor and all four foul shots. Junior guard Jessica Chapin (Mendon, N.Y./Honeoye Falls-Lima) had 13 points, including the first nine of the game for the Judges from behind the 3-point line. Classmate Lauren Rashford (Whitesboro, N.Y./Whitesboro) added 10 points and a game- and career-high seven assists. Senior forward Cassidy Dadaos (Healdsburg, Calif./Healdsburg) led all players with eight rebounds.
Brandeis's 94 points marked the fourth-highest scoring total in school history, and the most since putting up 95 points in their 2002-03 season opener against Gallaudet University. They owned a 43-26 rebounding advantage and converted 17 EC turnovers into 27 points. The Judges held Emmanuel to just one field goal and forced seven turnovers over the first seven minutes as they jumped out to a 22-5 lead and never looked back. Brandeis shot a season-high 55 percent from the field (33-60) for the game, including 65.4 percent (17-26) in the second stanza.
Emmanuel was led by sophomore guard Kristin LeBel (Tolland, Conn./Tolland), who just missed game-high honors with 21 points. LeBel hit 8-of-13 from the field, including 5-of-7 from beyond the arc. Junior Iman Davis (Toms River, N.J./St. George's School) also reached double figures with 13 points, but shot just 3-of-13 from the field, adding seven points from the free-throw line. Davis also tied for team-high honors with four rebounds and three assists. Saint rookie Liz Brooks (Charlton, Mass./Shepherd Hill Regional) tied Davis with four rebounds, while sophomore guard Casey Shevlin (Medford, N.Y./Mary Louis Acad.) matched the captain in assists.
Brandeis is next in action against their third-straight 2008 NCAA tournament participant when they travel to Wheaton College on Thursday evening at 8:00 p.m., while Emmanuel is in action at Endicott College on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m.