WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University women's basketball team stayed close for three and a half quarters but seventh-ranked Washington University (Mo.) pulled away late on Senior Day to defeat the Judges at Red Auerbach Arena in University Athletic Association action, 61-49. The Judges fall to 11-13 and 3-10 in the UAA while the Bears improve to 22-2 and 11-2 in the conference.

Before the game, Brandeis honored their five seniors: Kyla Gabriel (Tivoli, N.Y./Red Hook), Paris Hodges (Southampton, N.Y./Southampton), Maria Jackson (Rochester, N.Y./Hilton), Frankie Pinto (San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente), and Sydney Sodine (New York, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills West). The 2017 class featured Jackson who is 14^th all-time in points and fifth all-time in rebounds, Sodine who became the 12^th player in Judges history to reach 500 rebounds, Hodges who is a two time All-UAA honorable mention and three time Academic All-UAA selection, Pinto who ranks third in the record book for 3-pointers made and 10^th in 3-point percentage, and Gabriel who worked her way into the rotation as a walk-on her sophomore season to playing in 60 games while becoming a three time Academic All-UAA honoree.

FOR THE JUDGES

• Jackson led the way with a game-high 18 points while adding eight rebounds, three blocks, and three steals.
• Sodine grabbed a team-best nine caroms in addition to seven points and two steals.
• Junior Noel Hodges (Southampton, N.Y./Southampton) dished out a game-high seven assists.

FOR THE BEARS

• Senior Zoe Vernon (Chapel Hill, N.C./Carolina Friends) poured in a team-best 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting including 5-for-7 from beyond the arc.
• Sophomore Madeline Homoly (Kansas City, Mo./Bishop Miege) reached double-figures with 12 points off the bench.
• Senior Lily Sarros (Clarendon Hills, Ill./Hinsdale Central) had a team-high six rebounds.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• The visitors outshot the Judges from downtown 41.2% (7-for-17) to 18.8% (3-for16) and held an edge at the charity stripe 18-of-26 (69.2%) to 6-of-12 (50.0%).
• Brandeis recorded 17 assists to seven for WashU and forced 19 turnovers.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Judges got off to a fast start, jumping out to an 11-2 lead featuring six points from Jackson and baskets from classmates Pinto and Sodine.
• The Bears responded immediately with a 13-2 surge that had them in front 15-13.
• Brandeis closed the period with buckets by Sodine and Jackson to take a slim 17-15 edge into the second.
• The Judges led for the majority of the second quarter but a pair of free throws from senior Jenn Dynis (Chesterfield, Mo./Visitation Academy) put the Bears up one, 26-25.
• The home team responded with a lay-up by Paris Hodges and a pair of Jackson jumpers to head into the break leading 31-26.
• The third period featured five lead changes and a tie as the momentum swung back-and-forth.
• A Paris Hodges jumper with 2:04 remaining in the quarter gave the home team a slim one-point edge but WashU scored the final three points to take a 41-39 lead into the last 10 minutes.
• The Bears attempted to pull away early in the fourth but a trifecta from Noel Hodges and a traditional three-point play by sophomore Joelle MarkAnthony (Wallingford, Conn./Mark T. Sheehan) had the Judges within 46-45 at the 5:10 mark.
• Over the next minute and a half, the visitors scored seven straight points and would not lead by less than seven down the stretch as they pulled away for the 61-49 victory.

UP NEXT

• Brandeis closes their regular season with a UAA contest at NYU on Saturday February 25 with a 1:00 p.m. tip while WashU hosts Chicago in a game that will determine the UAA regular season champion.