CLEVELAND, Ohio – Brandeis University senior Eric D'Aguanno (Saunderstown, R.I./St. Andrews School) became the Judges' all-time leader in 3-pointers tonight, but it was host Case Western Reserve who earned a season split by posting an 84-76 win in Adelbert Arena. The 25th-ranked Judges fall to 14-5 overall, 6-2 in the University Athletic Association, while the Spartans improve to 10-9, 3-5 UAA.
D'Aguanno tied the school record with his 231st trifecta with 13:54 to go in the second half. It was part of a 19-9 run over the first seven minutes that saw Brandeis take their first lead of the night on the ensuing possession, a 3-pointer by junior Austin Clamage (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest Academy) that made it 50-48.
The lead changed hands on the next five possessions, with CWRU's Robert Faller hitting a jumper with 11:39 that put the hosts up, 55-54. After the teams traded empty possessions, Case Western's Ignas Masiulionis scored the game's next five points and the Spartans never trailed again.
The hosts were up 10 with 3:10 to go, 70-60, when D'Aguanno connected from downtown again, the 232nd of his career, breaking the record held by Derek Retos '14. Brandeis would get within five points on a trifecta from senior Collin Sawyer (New London, Conn./New London) that made it 75-50 with 1:12 on the clock, but CWRU's Antonio Ionadi responded from beyond the arc with 46 seconds to go to ice the contest.
Sawyer led all players with 22 points, 14 of which came in the second half. He converted a pair of traditional three-point players early in the stanza to help spark the Brandeis comeback. Sawyer finished the night shooting 7-for-11 from the field, 1-for-2 from beyond the arc and 7-for-8 from the line. He also had two rebounds and two steals. D'Aguanno added 12 points, finishing 4-for-7 from the floor, 2-for-3 from downtown and from the line. He also tied for team-high honors with six rebounds and had three assists. Rookie Dylan Lien (Northborough, Mass./Worcester Academy) added 11 points on three 3-pointers. Junior Chandler Jones (Springfield, Mass./Springfield Commonwealth Academy) matched D'Aguanno with six rebounds and led the Judges with four assists.
CWRU put five players in double figures in scoring, led by Ionadi's 21, 18 from Faller and 14 from Masiulionis, who scored all of his points in the second half. Michael Hollis had 11 rebounds and three assists, while Ryan Newton had 13 points and four helpers. Cole Frilling had 11 points.
The hosts had a slight edge in rebounds (36-35), while turnovers were even at nine each. The Spartans outshot Brandeis, 48% to 44% and had 14 second-chance points to just seven for the Judges.
Brandeis returns to action on Sunday afternoon at noon at Carnegie Mellon University.