WALTHAM, Mass. — The Brandeis University women's basketball team cruised to victory in their final contest of 2014, never trailing in a 64-37 win over Gordon College. The Judges improve to 7-2 overall on the season and 7-0 all-time on New Year's Eve. The Fighting Scots fall to 2-8.

Brandeis put three players in double figures, paced by junior guard Heather Cain (Gloucester, Mass./Gloucester) with a career-high 17 points in just 16 minutes off the bench. Cain hit 6-of-9 from the field with a 3-pointers, and 4-of-4 from the line. Classmate Niki Laskaris (Swampscott, Mass./Swampscott) added 13 points on 5-of-13 overall, 1-of-5 from deep and 2-of-2 from the line. Heather's sister Hannah Cain (Gloucester, Mass./Gloucester), a senior guard, finished with 10 points.

Sophomore Sydney Sodine (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills West) led the Judges with seven rebounds – four offensive. She headed up a balanced attack that saw all 11 active players on the roster grab at least two boards en route to a 46-38 edge on the glass, including 16-9 on the offensive glass.

Hannah Cain tied with sophomore Frankie Pinto (San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente) for game-high honors with two assists, and with Laskaris with four steals. Ten of the 11 active Judges players had thefts, as the team forced Gordon into 28 turnovers and outscored the visitors, 27-3, in points off those miscues.

Gordon got 33 of their 37 points from two players. Senior guard Brooke Kratche (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Chagrin Falls) led all players with 21 points, while rookie forward Kristen Smith (Littleton, Mass./Littleton) added 12. Kratche hit 8-of-18 from the field, including her only 3-pointer, and hit 4-of-7 from the line. Smith was 3-10 from the floor with a trifecta and 5-of-6 from the charity stripe. Junior Mariel Barner (Colorado Springs, Colo./Colorado Springs) also hit a late bucket, the only one that fell for the rest of the Fighting Scots. Gordon hit just one of the 21 shots not taken by Kratche or Smith. Barner also led all players with 11 rebounds and had two assists. Kratche pilfered four steals for the visitors.

Brandeis returns to action in the new year on Saturday, when they travel to Endicott College for a 1 p.m. tilt. Gordon faces CCC foe Western New England on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

- 30 -