WALTHAM, Mass. – In a game that featured eight ties and 14 lead changes, it was a 12-0 run to end the third quarter and start the fourth that gave visiting Emory University a 76-65 University Athletic Association win over host Brandeis University, despite a 24-point performance from Judge senior guard Camila Casanueva (Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Barbara). With the loss, Brandeis falls to 6-11 overall, 1-7 in the UAA, while Emory improves to 12-5, 6-2 UAA.
Through the first three periods, the largest lead for any team was six, held by Emory in the early going when they scored the game's first six points. Brandeis answered with seven in a row of their own, and the lead stayed within four points for either team until the late going of the second period. EU reclaimed their six-point lead with a Tori Huggins 3-pointer with 90 seconds left in the half, but two Casanueva foul shots made it 40-36, Eagles at the break.
The Judges tied up again early in the third, on a Casanueva trifecta as the lead ping-ponged back and forth. Brandeis took their final lead at 50-49 on a lay-up by sophomore Christina Bacon (Scituate, R.I. / LaSalle Academy) with 2:45 remaining. Emory answered with a 3-pointer from Claire Brock, sparking the decisive run. Brock added a traditional three-point play, then Tori Huggins followed with a lay-up and two free throws just before the end of the period to give EU a 59-50 lead after three. Brandeis got within six points in the fourth, but never got any closer than 63-57 on a Casanueva pull-up jumper with 3:49 left in the contest.
Casanueva was the game's high scorer with her 24 points, which came on 8-of-13 overall, 2-of-7 from 3-point range and 6-of-6 from the line. Eight of her 24 points came in the fourth quarter. She now has 1,103 career points, seventh all-time at Brandeis, and 159 3-pointers, eight shy of the school record. Junior Emma Reavis (Miami, Okla./Deerfield, Mass., Academy) added 11 points, six rebounds and a game-high seven assists. Sophomore Casey Perry (Milton, N.H. / Marshwood) scored a career-high nine points off the bench while also grabbing six boards. Brandeis outrebounded Emory, 38-32, for the game.
Emory put three starters in double digits scoring. Brock led the Eagles with 19 points, while Huggins had 15 and Mariane Auza had 12. Huggins pulled down a game-high eight rebounds. Daniella Aronosky led the visitors with four assists off the bench. The Eagles won the turnover battle, 20-13, and outscored Brandeis, 20-15, in points off those miscues. Emory also outscored Brandeis, 19-12, from the free-throw line and shot 50% (7-14) from beyond the arc, while Brandeis hit just 28% (7-25).
Brandeis returns to action on Sunday at 3 p.m. against the University of Rochester, who the Judges defeated on the road last weekend, 66-59.
