Women's hoops rolls past Mount Ida, 85-36, to open season

Maria Jackson '17
Maria Jackson '17

WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University women's basketball team had little trouble with Mount Ida College this afternoon the season opener for both teams at the 2014 Brandeis Coaches vs. Cancer Tip-Off Tournament, as the Judges defeated the Mustangs, 85-36.

Brandeis (1-0) put four players in double figures, led by sophomore center Maria Jackson (Rochester, N.Y./Hilton), who scored 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the floor and 3-of-4 from the line. Junior guard Heather Cain (Gloucester, Mass./Gloucester) came off the bench to pour in a career-high 14 points in 17 minutes of action. She hit 5-of-11 from the floor. Sophomore Sydney Sodine (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills West) added a career-best 13 points on 6-of-8 in her first collegiate start, while junior Niki Laskaris (Swampscott, Mass./Swampscott) rounded out the 10-point scorers with 12. Laskaris tied for game-high honors with six rebounds, matched by rookie Olivia Shaw (Saco, Maine/Thornton Acad.), who had five on the offensive glass. Finally, senior Hannah Cain (Gloucester, Mass./Gloucester) had seven points, four rebounds and two assists in her first game back from an injury that cost her her junior season.

Mount Ida was paced by sophomore Stephanie Champoux (Tewksbury, Mass./Shawsheen Valley Tech) with eight points, while Shanell Nardone (Tewksbury, Mass./Shawsheen Valley Tech) and Imani Bumpus (West Hartford, Conn./Capital Prep) had six each. Bumpus and Nardone also led the Mustangs with five rebounds apiece.

 Brandeis will face the winner of the Salve Regina-Regis game tomorrow at 2 p.m. in the championship game, while Mount Ida will play in the consolation game at noon.