WALTHAM, Mass. -- The 21st-ranked Brandeis University women's basketball team scored 27 straight points over an eight-minute span in the first half tonight to race past visiting Carnegie Mellon University, 74-48, in University Athletic Association (UAA) action tonight.

Brandeis (16-4, 6-4 UAA) was paced by a career-high 21 points off the bench by rookie guard Jessica Chapin (Mendon, N.Y.). Chapin hit seven-of-nine from the floor, including three-of-five from beyond the arc, and was four-of-five at the free-throw line. She also led the Judges with seven rebounds and four assists. Junior guard Jaime Capra (Old Bridge, N.J.) was the only other player for Brandeis to reach double figures with 16 points. Capra hit six-of-12 from the field with a pair of 3-pointers and two-of-three at the line. Senior forward Caitlin Malcolm (Windsor Locks, Conn.) had a season-low five points in her quest to become Brandeis's all-time leading scorer, but contributed four rebounds, four steals, two blocks and two assists.

Carnegie Mellon (8-13, 2-8 UAA) had just one double-figure scorer in sophomore forward Ashley Rothwell (Pittsburgh, Pa.), who tallied 10 points on five-of-11 shooting. Classmate Stacie Aleski (Pittsburgh, Pa.) finished with nine points, collecting seven in the second half. Junior Leah Feola (Pittsburgh, Pa.) had eight rebounds to lead all players.

Brandeis trailed, 6-5, with 14:39 on the clock when the Judges went on their big spurt, holding the Tartans scoreless until the 6:31 mark. Brandeis converted ten CMU turnovers into 19 points in the first half en route to a 37-17 lead, paced by Chapin's 12 points before the break.

Carnegie Mellon played well at the outset of the second half, picking up a pair of quick offensive rebounds after getting shut out on their own glass before the break. CMU opened the half on a 19-11 run, closing within 12, 48-36, on a pair of Aleski free throws midway through the period. Rothwell hit a jumped three minutes later to keep the deficit at 12 with 6:55 left in the game, but the Judges answered with 17 of the next 19 points to put the game away.

Brandeis is next in action on Sunday afternoon against sixth-ranked Rochester at 2 p.m., as Malcolm will go for 10 points to become the school's all-time leading scorer.