CHICAGO, Ill. – A strong third quarter by the home team made the difference tonight as the Brandeis University women's basketball team dropped a 64-58 University Athletic Association decision at the University of Chicago. The Judges outscored the Maroons in the first, second and fourth quarters, but UC had a 25-12 advantage in the third to earn the win. With the loss, the Judges fall to 5-8 overall on the season, 0-4 in the UAA. The Maroons improve to 8-6, 1-3 UAA.

The Judges led by one point after the first period, 16-15, thanks to the early play of senior forward Kerry Tanke (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan), who scored her team's first eight points. Brandeis pushed the lead to 32-26 by halftime, as first-year Caitlin Gresko (Howell, N.J./Howell) stepped up with 10 of the Judges' 16 points in the second quarter. The Judges held UC to 8-of-35 shooting (22.8%), including 2-of-12 from 3-point range (16.7%).

In the decisive third quarter, the Maroons turned things around from the field, hitting 9 of their 13 shots (69.2%), including 1-of-2 from downtown (50%). Mallory Brodnik had nine points and Peyton Van Soest added seven to outscore the Judges on their own in the third. Brandeis hit just 5-of-13 (38.5%) in the period, going 2-of-6 from beyond the arc (33%). The Maroons also outscored Brandeis 6-0 from the line in the third. Brandeis had a chance to get back into in the fourth as UC cooled off again, but the Judges again hit just 5-of-13 in the period, while also missing four foul shots as they tried to climb back into the game. While they cut an 11-point deficit to five late in the contest, it wasn't enough.

For the game, Brandeis was paced by Gresko, who finished with 14 points on 5-of-9 overall from the field and 2-of-5 from beyond the arc with two free throws. Tanke, senior guard Camila Casanueva (Santa Barbara, Calif./Dos Pueblos), and junior guard Emma Reavis (Miami, Okla./Deerfield Academy, Mass.) each finished with nine points. Casanueva added six rebounds and a team-high four assists as well. Rookie Casey Perry (Milton, N.H./Marshwood) led Brandeis with a career-high seven rebounds and four blocked shots to go with six points.

Chicago put four starters in double figures in scoring, led by Brodnik's game-high 17 points on 5-of-7 from the field and 7-of-7 from the line. Ellie Gross had 13 points and Klaire Steffens and Grace Hynes each had 12. Steffens led UC with seven rebounds, while Hynes had six boards and a team-high three assists. Gross led all players with six steals. Turnovers and free throws were a big difference in the game: the Maroons won the turnover battle, 21-14, converting the miscues into 21 points compared to just 11 for Brandeis, while the Maroons outscored Brandeis 19-11 from the line, as neither team shot particularly well (65.5% for Chicago, 50% for Brandeis).

The Judges return to action on Sunday afternoon when they travel to St. Louis to meet Washington University at 3 p.m. (2 Central).