Cold shooting stretches cost women at Case, 67-64

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Brandeis University women's basketball team suffered their first University Athletic Association (UAA) defeat this season today, dropping a 67-64 decision at Case Western Reserve University. The Judges fall to 6-7 overall, 2-1 in the UAA, while the Spartans improve to 11-3, 3-0 UAA.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Judges struggled mightily from the field in the first quarter, making just one field goal in 15 attempts. Meanwhile, the Spartans hit 7-of-18 and 4-of-9 from 3-point range.
• CWRU was ahead 20-4 at one point before the Judges scored the final six points of the period from the line, making it 20-10.
• Brandeis turned the tables in the second period, outscoring CWRU 24-14 to knot the game at 34-all at the half. In addition to hitting 7-of-16 from the field with a pair of 3-pointers, the Judges hit all eight of their free throws while the Spartans did not get to the line.
• The third quarter featured four lead changes, including one on the last possession, when CWRU's Kendall McConnico hit 1-of-2 from the line with the Spartans grabbing the offensive rebound and Abbey Lawrence got a bucket to give the hosts a 51-50 lead.
• Brandeis opened the fourth quarter with a traditional three-point play by sophomore Kat Puda (Whitinsville, Mass./Worcester Academy) to make it 53-51.
• The Judges were unable to extend their lead past three points, and a McConnico putback gave CWRU a 56-55 lead.
• Brandeis's leading scorer on the season, sophomore Camila Casanueva (Santa Barbara, Calif./Dos Pueblos) answered with a 3-pointer to give Brandeis a 58-56 lead with 5:22 to go, but the Judges would hit only one more field goal the rest of the way.
• That bucket was a Lauren Rubinstein (Southington, Conn./Pomperaug) trifecta with 1:09 that got the Judges within 65-64 with 1:09 left.
• Brandeis forced a shot-clock violation on the Spartans' next possession, but with 14.6 seconds left on the clock, the Judges were called for an offensive foul. Case hit their final two free throws to ice the game.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Rubenstein led the Judges with 17 points for the game, 10 of which came during the team's second-period comeback.
• She hit 4-of-13 overall, but all four field goals were 3-pointers. She also hit 5-of-6 from the line.
• Casanueva added 11 points and Puda had 10. Casanueva also led the Judges with five assists.
• Brandeis owned a 52-46 rebounding edge, thanks to nine boards from junior Hannah Nicholson (Sunderland, Vt./Burr and Burton Academy) and a career-best eight from rookie Maya Burris (San Francisco, Calif. / Loomis Chaffee).
• CWRU was paced by 23 points and nine rebounds from Hillary Hellman and 14 points and 14 caroms by Kara Hageman.
• Brandeis outscored Case, 24-11, from the free throw line, as the Judges hit 75% from the line while the Spartans were just 47.8%.
• The hosts overcame that deficit by winning the turnover battle, 13-5, and converting them into a 17-9 edge in points off the miscues.

UP NEXT

• The Judges will return home to host 17^th-ranked Chicago next Friday evening at 6 p.m.