ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Brandeis rookie guard Ben Bartoldus (Hillsborough, N.H./Proctor Acad.) had 17 points and junior guard Tyrone Hughes (Dorchester, Mass./Taft School) dished eight assists, but it wasn't enough to overcome the hot shooting of the University Athletic Association leaders form the University of Rochester, who swept the season series with a 77-57 victory in the Palestra today.

Rochester (16-4, 8-1 UAA) maintained its one-game lead over Emory in the UAA thanks to the hot second half of sophomore John DiBartolomeo. After scoring just three points in the first half, DiBartolomeo exploded for 23 in the second, finishing with 26 overall. In the second, he hit 6-of-7 overall, 2-of-3 from beyond the arc and 9-of-9 from the line. DiBartolomeo also led Rochester with a game-high seven rebounds, six assists and three steals, also a game-high.

UR put three other starters in double figures. Senior Mike Labanowski scored all 15 of his points from downtown, hitting 5-of-8, including 4-of-5 in the first half for 12 points. Rookie Nate Vernon added 11 points and sophomore Rob Reid added 10.

Brandeis (13-6, 3-6 UAA) was paced by Bartoldus, who scored 10 of his 17 points in the  second half. He missed just one shot, his last of the day, going 7-for-8 from the floor, 2-for-3 from beyond the arc, and hitting his only foul shot. Classmate Youri Dascy (Fall River, Mass./St. Andrews (R.I.) School) was the only other Brandeis player with more than two field goals, going 3-for-8 with a couple of free throws for eight points. Hughes's game-high eight assists matched a career-high.

After a tightly contested first half that featured three ties and nine lead changes, Rochester took control in the second half with lights-out shooting, while Brandeis was unable to hold up a torrid pace of their own. The Judges hit on 59.1% in the first half (13-22), while UR connected on 50% of their attempts (13-26). In the second half, however, the hosts connected on 63.6%, missing just eight times (14-22), while Brandeis cooled to 32.1% (9-28). Rochester connected on 5-of-7 from deep in the second half and 11-of-17 overall (64.7%), thanks to Labanowski's hot first half. With UR shooting 56.3% for the game, Brandeis has allowed four of their last five opponents to make better than 50%, after not allowing just foe to shoot better than 45% through their first 14 contests.

Brandeis steps out of conference on Tuesday night when they travel to No. 5 Amherst at 7 p.m.