WALTHAM, Mass. – Brandeis University women's basketball junior Emma Reavis (Miami, Okla./Deerfield Acad., Mass.) scored the game-winning basket with 2.6 seconds left in regulation to cap a monster game and a 58-57 victory over visiting Washington University in St. Louis in University Athletic Association play today. With the win, the Judges improve to 8-14, 3-10 UAA, while the Bears fall to 13-11, 7-6 UAA.
Click here for post-game comments with Carol Simon
The game featured three ties and five lead changes. WashU carried a 45-40 lead into the fourth quarter that they extended with a pair of early free throws. The Bears' Jessica Brooks nailed a 3-pointer with 5:36 on the clock to make it 50-43, but Brandeis junior Francesca Marchese (Staten Island, N.Y./Staten Island Academy) answered from beyond the arc on the next possession to get the hosts back within four.
After getting a defensive stop, Reavis pulled down an offensive rebound and found first-year Casey Perry (Milton, N.H. / Marshwood) underneath to get the Judges within two. After another stop, Reavis hit one-of-two from the line to make it a one-point game. The Bears committed a turnover on the next possession, and first-year Caitlin Gresko (Howell, N.J./Howell) converted a traditional three-point play with 2:06 on the clock to give Brandeis a 52-50 lead, their first since early in the game at 4-2. WashU answered with a 3-pointer with 1:42 remaining to go back ahead by one, 53-52. The Bears hit just one-of-two from the line after a stop, getting back to a two-point lead, 54-52, with 1:05 on the clock.
After a rebound and a timeout to advance the ball, Reavis found senior Kerry Tanke (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan) underneath for a tying layup with 46.1 seconds to go. On the next WashU possession, the Bears' Sammi Mattoush converted a three-point play to make it 57-54 with 34.6 seconds remaining. On the next Brandeis possession, the Judges drew a foul with 16.1 seconds to go, turning the shot clock off. Junior Tathiana Pierre (Jericho, N.Y. / Sacred Heart Academy) was fouled taking a 3-pointer with 9.1 seconds to go. She hit the first two foul shots to make it a 57-56 game, but Gresko was on the spot to grab the offensive rebound. Her attempt at a putback was missed, but Tanke forced a jump-ball with the possession arrow favoring the Judges. On the ensuing inbounds play, Pierre found Reavis, who dribbled around her defender into the paint for the winning bucket with 2.6 seconds left. WashU called timeout, advanced the ball and drew up a play, but the Bears were unable to get off a good shot, securing the win for the Judges.
Reavis ended up leading all scorers with 18 points, hitting 8-of-16 from the field with a pair of free throws. She also grabbed a game- and career-high 12 rebounds and dished out nine assists, finishing one helper short of the first triple-double in Brandeis women's basketball history. Tanke also recorded a double-double on the day with 16 points and 10 boards. Gresko added 10 points and six rebounds, including the key offensive board in the final 10 seconds of play.
Brandeis outshot WashU, 38% (23-60) to 32% (18-57), overcoming a 9-3 deficit on 3-pointers and a 12-9 scoring disadvantage at the line. Brandeis outrebounded WashU, 43-38, and won the turnover battle, 16-15, turning it into a 15-9 advantage in points off those miscues.
Washington U. was paced Karisa Granderson, who had 12 points to lead a balanced attack. Nine different Bear players scored points, with five of them tallying between six and eight points. Samantha Weaver led the visitors with nine rebounds, while three different players had two assists. The Bears led by as many as 14 points in the first half at 30-16 before Brandeis scored the last bucket to make it a 12-point lead for the visitors, 30-18.
The win is Brandeis's first over Washington University at home since the 2007-08 season, and coupled with the men's 84-65 win in the opener, gives Brandeis their first-ever home sweep over the Bears. The two teams have now split in three of the last four seasons.
Before the game, the Judges honored their seniors, Tanke and guard Camila Casanueva (Santa Barbara, Calif./Dos Pueblos), who has missed the last two games due to injury. Brandeis will play one last home game, a non-conference contest on Wednesday evening against Clark University at 6 p.m.
