WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University women's basketball team held a 50-47 lead through three quarters today, but visiting Emory University held the Judges to just one field goal over the first five minutes of the fourth to escape with a 75-67 victory. With the loss, the Judges fall to 11-3, 1-2 in the UAA, while the Eagles improve to 12-2 overall, 3-0 UAA.
The two teams were evenly matched through the first three quarters. The game was tied after 1, 16-16. Brandeis took a 34-30 lead into the locker room after shooting 53 percent in the second period while the Eagles shot just 33 percent. Emory cut into the Brandeis lead slightly in the third period, getting within 50-47, before their big run to start the final 10 minutes.
After holding the visitors to just 33 percent shooting for the game through the first three quarters while connecting on 42 percent of their own shots, Brandeis saw the tables turned in the fourth. Emory was 9-16 from the field with a pair of 3-pointers, while Brandeis hit just 4-of-15, including 0-for-6 from downtown. The Eagles outscored Brandeis, 16-3, over the first five minutes of the final period and held on from there.
Brandeis was paced by senior Hannah Nicholson (Sunderland, Vt./Burr and Burton Academy), who scored 18 points – including eight in the third period – and pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season and the 11th of her career. Nicholson hit 6-of-8 from the field and 6-of-6 from the line. Rookie Emma Reavis (Miami, Okla./Deerfield Academy) added 12 points, one shy of her career-best, and led Brandeis with six assists, also just off her career-best. Junior Courtney Thrun (Regina, Sask./Wilbraham and Monson Acad.) added 10 points off the bench. Brandeis outrebounded Emory, 45-42, but the Judges struggled from 3-point range, shooting a season-worst 15.8% (3-19) from beyond the arc.
Emory put three players in double figures in scoring. Allison Chernow led all players with 20 points, 13 of which came in the fourth quarter, when she was 3-of-5 with a 3-pointers and 6-of-6 from the line. Front-court-mates Tori Huggins and Blair Ripley each scored 12 points – Ripley coming off the bench – while combining for 11 rebounds. The Eagles had 18 assists on 28 baskets, with seven players having either two or three helpers. Emory won the turnover battle, 17-11, and scored 21 points off the miscues to 14 for Brandeis.
Brandeis is next in action next Friday evening at 7 PM Eastern / 6 Central in St. Louis against Washington University in another UAA showdown. Emory hosts Carnegie Mellon at 6 Eastern the same day.