WALTHAM, Mass.-With 26 points from junior guard Morgan Kendrew (Cotuit, Mass./Barnstable) and a double-double from senior forward Amber Strodthoff (DePere, Wis./DePere), the Brandeis University women's basketball team ended their three-game University Athletic Association losing streak. The Judges took a 76-67 victory over Emory University this evening in Auerbach Arena. With the win, the Judges advanced to 10-7 (2-4 UAA), while the Eagles fall to 8-9 (1-5 UAA).
The Judges were paced by Kendrew who scored a game- and career-high 26 points on 8-of-16 from the floor and 7-of-8 from the line. Strodthoff posted her third double-double of the season with 13 points and 14 rebounds. Junior guard Kelly Ethier (Springfield, Mass./Minnechaug Regional) also scored in double digits with 12 points, with 4-of-6 from the floor and 2-of-2 from three-point range. Rookie guard Kasey Dean (Southbury, Conn./Pomeraug) led her squad with eight assists, the team's best performance of the season. She also contributed seven points and seven rebounds to the effort.
Brandeis maintained their lead for the majority of the game. The Judges shot 12-of-32 (37.5%) from the floor in the first half, but improved to 12-of-21 (57.1%) in the second.
For the Eagles, rookie guard Savannah Morgan (San Jose, Calif./Presentation) was the only player to score in double digits with 13 points, shooting 5-of-15 from the floor. Sophomore forward Misha Jackson (Atlanta, Ga./St. Pius X) led her team with nine rebounds. She also posted nine points and three assists in the game.
The Judges were able to keep the Eagles shooting just 8-of-31 (25.8%) from the floor in the first half. Emory shot 5-of-13 (38.5%) from deep in the first half, scoring 15 of their 25 first half points from beyond their arc. Despite a slow start, the visitors were able to find their stride in the second half, tying the game twice, and improving their shooting percentage to 42.5% (17-40).
The Eagles opened the game with a three-pointer from senior guard Courtney Von Stein (Trafalgar, Ind./Indian Creek), but the Judges answered back with a shot in the paint from Kendrew to make the score Brandeis a 7-6 lead at 16:50. At 14:44 the Eagles tied the game 11-11, before the Judges made a run on the half. Over the next six minutes, shots from five different Judges helped Brandeis outscore their opponent, 11-0, to take a 22-11 lead. The Judges were able to maintain a lead for the rest of the half, ending the first half with an 11-point lead, at 36-25.
A foul committed by Kendrew early in the second half allowed the Eagles to put up the first two points of the half. But Kendrew came back with a 3-pointer and jumper to give her team a 41-27 lead. The 14-point margin was the largest of the game. However, a basket from Lilly at 17:09 and a layup from sophomore center Danielle Landry (Vienna, Va./James Madison), making the score 41-31, started Emory's comeback. Over the next eight minutes, shots from three other players, including a 3-pointer from junior guard Becca Feldman (North Potomac Md./Wootton), helped the Eagles outscored the Judges, 24-9. With a jump shot from Von Stein, they took a 51-50 lead, Emory's first since early in the first half.
At 7:43, Strodthoff made a free-throw to tie the game, and a layup from Ethier put the Judges back in the lead. Over the next three minutes, Brandeis regained an 11-point lead of 65-45 at 3:27. Ethier started off the run with a shot from deep. Strodthoff, Dean and senior forward Mia DePalo (Rumson, N.J./Red Bank Catholic) also scored to extend the Brandeis lead. Emory tried to rally, coming within four points, but could not come any closer. After making 7-of-8 from the line in the final minutes, the Judges closed out the game with a 76-67 victory.
The Judges continue their conference action this weekend. Their next contest is Sunday at 2 p.m. against University of Rochester in Auerbach Arena. Emory's next game is also Sunday, when they visit New York University.