Slow start costs women at Case, 50-36

Angela Miller '13
Angela Miller '13

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Brandeis University women's basketball team dropped its second-straight University Athletic Association contest today with a 50-36 defeat at the hands of host Case Western Reserve University. The Judges missed their first 12 shots from the floor and never led as they fell to 8-14 overall, 2-9 in the UAA. Case improved to 15-7, 7-4 UAA.

Despite their initial slow start, Brandeis was still only behind, 8-4, when senior Angela Miller (Sicklerville, N.J./Timber Creek) finally connected eight-and-a-half minutes into the game. Unfortunately for the Judges, their offense was unable to get going. Case was ahead, 20-9, with just under three minutes left in the half before the Judges scored six of the last nine points of the half. Brandeis ended up shooting just 18.8% (6-32) and falling behind 23-15 at the break.

The second half opened in a similar fashion, with the Spartans holding Brandeis to just one free throw over the first 7:24 as the Judges again missed their first 12 from the field. Case's Erin Reynolds hit a lay-up at the just over seven minutes into the second half as the hosts doubled up the Judges, 34-17, and never looked back. The Spartans led by as many as 21 points before a late 10-3 run got Brandeis to within the final 14-point margin. The Judges shot 20 percent in the second half (7-35) and were held to just 19.4% for the game (13-67), their third time below 20 percent for a game this season.

Brandeis was paced by Miller, who finished with 10 points in just eight minutes of play, marking the second time this season she led the squad in scoring. Miller hit 3-of-5 from the field and all four of her free throws. No other Brandeis player had more than two field goals or five points. Sophomore guard Hannah Cain (Gloucester, Mass./Gloucester) led all players with nine rebounds and tied for game-high with four steals.

Case was held to just 50 points and 30.6% shooting from the floor, but the Spartans owned a 12-4 advantage in points off turnovers. Senior Evy Iacono was the only Case player in double figures with 15 points. She hit 4-of-17 from the field, but connected on 7-of-8 from the line. Guard Erica Iafelice paced the home team with eight rebounds, four assists and four steals, while center Emily Mueller had five blocked shots.

Brandeis returns home next weekend to face the University of Chicago on Friday evening at 6 p.m. in a Play4Kay game and Washington University on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. on Senior Day.