CHICAGO, Ill. -- Brandeis University rookie guard Morgan Kendrew (Cotuit, Mass./Barnstable) notched a career-high 14 points to lead all scorers, but the Judges couldn't overcome an extended streak without a field goal tonight as they fell to the host University of Chicago Maroons, 63-50, in University Athletic Association action. The 24th-ranked Judges fall to 13-5 on the season, 3-5 in the UAA, while Chicago improves to 14-5, 5-3 in the league by avenging a loss from last Sunday.
Brandeis got off to a fast start, opening up an early 8-2 lead and taking a 10-4 margin by hitting four of their first five shots of the contest. Unfortunately, they went cold from there, hitting just three of their last 23 from the floor in the first. The Maroons claimed their first lead of the contest at 17-16, on a Karly Kasper jumper with 6:28 left, and never trailed again. They held Brandeis without a field goal over the final 7:35 of the first half, closing on a 14-2 run to take a 28-18 lead into the break. Brandeis senior Cassidy Dadaos (Healdsburg, Calif./Healdsburg) had seven points in the first half to lead all players, while Meghan Herrick had six points off the bench to guide the hosts. Chicago shot 64.7% from the floor in the first half (11-17), while Brandeis was just 7-28 (25%).
The second half opened even further in the Maroons' favor, as they scored the first six points to take a 34-18 lead on two Alex Leach free throws. UC was able to keep the lead in double figures until the Judges got within nine at 45-36 with 6:21 left. A traditional three-point play by Kendrew with 5:25 left trimmed the lead to 47-39, but the Judges were unable to climb any closer than that in suffering the 13-point loss.
Kendrew, who was making her first collegiate start, scored 11 of her career-high 14 in the second half. She needed 4-of-13 shooting to get there, but hit 3-of-7 from 3-point range. She also led the Judges with a career-best six rebounds. Junior Jessica Chapin (Mendon, N.Y./Honeoye Falls-Lima) added 12 points, eight in the second half, and a game-high four assists. The Judges forced 23 turnovers while committing just 14, but were unable to overcome a 46-30 rebounding disadvantage - a week after getting 14 more boards from the Maroons.
Chicago was paced by 12 points from rookie Bryanne Halfhill, the leading candidate for UAA Rookie of the Year. She also added seven rebounds, one behind teammate Jaime Stinston. Michaela White added 10 points off the bench for the Maroons. Chicago shot 43.9 percent from the field for the game thanks to their hot start, as they hit just 29 percent in the second half. Chicago used a 25-8 edge in bench scoring and a 23-9 advantage in scoring from the free-throw line.
Brandeis is next in action on Sunday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time at Washington University, while Chicago hosts NYU at the same time.