Offense prevails over defense as Emory defeats Brandeis, 92-59

Eric D'Aguanno '20 (Photo by Sportspix.com / Mike Broglio)
Eric D'Aguanno '20 (Photo by Sportspix.com / Mike Broglio)

ATLANTA, Ga. – In a battle of the top scoring offense and defenses in the University Athletic Association, it was the offense that won out, as the Emory University Eagles defeated the visiting Brandeis University Judges, 92-59, in Atlanta tonight. With the loss, the Judges fall to 10-7 on the season, 3-3 in the UAA, while the Eagles improve to 13-4, 4-2 UAA.

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • The game was nip-and-tuck for the first 11 minutes, featuring four ties and 10 lead changes. Brandeis junior reserve guard Eric D'Aguanno (Saunderstown, R.I./St. Andrews School) hit back-to-back-to-back 3-pointers at one stretch to give Brandeis a 19-17 lead with 12:24 left in the first.
  • The Judges went ahead, 27-26, on a Corey Sherman (Penn Valley, Pa./Lower Merion) jumper at the 8:51 mark, but Emory took over from that point.
  • The Eagles scored 19 of the game's next 20 points over the next five minutes to claim a 45-28 lead. That included a six-point possession that could have been worse, as the Eagles missed a couple of free throws on a technical foul.
  • Emory went on to shoot 61.8% from the field for the first half (21-34) as they took a 55-37 lead into the locker room. Brandeis hit just 43.8% (14-32).
  • D'Aguanno netted 4-of-5 3-pointers in the first half for a game-high 12 points, but the rest of the Judges were 3-of-9 from deep. Matthew Schner led Emory with 11 points.
  • Brandeis's defense improved dramatically in the second half, holding Emory to 37 points and 36.7% shooting (11-30), but it wasn't enough as the Judges couldn't find an offensive rhythm of their own, hitting just 6-of-25 from the field (24.0%) after the break.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

  • D'Aguanno finished with 17 points, hitting 5-of-8 from deep. It was his second game of the season with at least five 3-pointers and the 10th of his career.
  • Sophomore forward  Chandler Jones (Springfield, Mass./Springfield Commonwealth Academy) added nine points, a team-high six rebounds and four assists. Classmate Lawrence Sabir (Providence, R.I./LaSalle Academy) matched Jones with four helpers.
  • Emory had five different players score in double figures, with Schner and Matt Davet each scoring 16. Romin Williams added 12, Nick Stuck had 11 and Lawrence Rowley 10.
  • Davet, Rowley and Gebreal Baitey each pulled down seven rebounds for the Eagles, who won the battle of the boards, 42-32.
  • Stuck led all players with five assists.
  • Emory shot 50% from the field for the game (32-64), while their 92 points were nearly 30 more than the Judges were allowing this season (63.3 ppg allowed, 14th in Division III). The Eagles average 93.8 ppg, seventh in DIII.

UP NEXT

  • Brandeis travels north to the University of Rochester on Sunday morning at 11 a.m. for another UAA contest.