ATLANTA, Ga. – For the second-straight game on their current road trip, the Brandeis University men's basketball team put up a terrific first half only to get derailed in the second as the Judges suffered an 82-69 defeat at the hands of seventh-ranked Emory in a University Athletic Association (UAA) contest. With the loss, the Judges fall to 6-18 overall, 2-11 in the UAA, while the Eagles improve to 20-4, 11-2 UAA.
As they did on Friday evening in Rochester, Brandeis was on fire from the field in the first half, shooting 56 percent from the field (14-of-25) and 73 percent from beyond the arc (8-of-11), as they established a 46-44 lead. Unfortunately, the Judges were unable to maintain their momentum, falling to 30 percent overall (8-of-27) and made just one of their 10 3-point attempts as the Eagles outscored them 38-23 after the break.
Brandeis was led by rookie Lawrence Sabir (Providence, R.I./LaSalle Academy), who scored 12 of his team-high 18 points in the first half. Sabir also added three assists. Senior Nate Meehan (Lowell, Mass./Phillips Andover) netted 12 points off the bench, including a pair of 3-pointers, while junior Corey Sherman (Penn Valley, Pa./Lower Merion) scored 10. Rookie forward Akim Sanni (Cotonou, Benin / Tabor Academy, N.H.) led Brandeis with six rebounds and senior Latye Workman (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bedford Academy) had a team-high four assists.
Emory put three players in double figures, with Matt Davey netting a game-high 22 points off the bench on 8-of-14 from the field, 5-of-8 from 3-point range and 1-of-1 from the line. Davet's 22 points were more than the entire Brandeis reserves, 22-21, as EU outscored the Judges, 38-21, from the bench. Rookie Romin Williams added 14 points off the bench, while Donald Avant scored 17 points in just 18 minutes as a starter. Avant led all players with eight rebounds, while Davet finished with seven caroms. Whit Rapp recorded a game-high nine assists.
In addition to their edge in bench scoring, Emory outpaced the Judges on the boards, 38-29, and owned a 42-22 advantage in points in the paint.
The game featured 12 ties and 14 lead changes. Brandeis owned a 55-52 lead with 14:22 left in the game on a Sabir lay-up, but Emory tied the game when Williams was fouled behind the arc and hit all three free throws. Davet put the home team ahead on their next possession, but Sawyer answered to knot the game at 57-all with 12:50 to go. Emory scored the next five points of the game, and though the Judges were able to hold the Eagles on their next possessions, the visitors were unable to make them pay. Davet connected from deep at the midway point of the half to make it an eight-point game, 65-57, and the Judges were unable to recover their shooting stroke to get back into the contest.
Brandeis will close its season on Saturday, February 24th, with their senior day celebration at home against NYU. The Judges will honor seniors Nate Meehan and Latye Workman before the game.