With school back in session, the women’s basketball team took their home court for their third and fourth conference games but unfortunately fell to the University of Chicago, 71-62, and to Washington University St. Louis, 101-67 in the Red Auerbach Arena this weekend. The Judges won their first two games in conference play over winter break, beating both Carnegie Mellon and New York University. But after this weekend, Brandeis women’s basketball drops to 2-3 in the UAA, leaving them with a 6-9 overall record.
Despite being up the first three quarters, the Judges couldn’t hold off Chicago in the fourth. The Judges were up at halftime 40-32, with the help of Sarah Jaromin ’19, who finished with 14 points in the first half. After the half, the Maroons came back with a strong third quarter, outscoring the Judges 19-12. In the third quarter, Chicago hit four three-pointers to Brandeis’ zero. Overall, the Judges were neck and neck with the Chicago Maroons from the field point line, Chicago making 39.3 percent and Brandeis making 38.2 percent. Chicago took their momentum from the third quarter and continued into the fourth making six of their 10 shots, to the Judges 2-of-14. Chicago beat out Brandeis in rebounds 37-34 and in assists 13-9.
Jaromin and Camila Casanueva ’21 were the top scorers for Brandeis, Jaromin finishing with 19 points and Casanueva finishing with 18. Casanueva also led the team in rebounds alongside Samira Abdelrehim ’21 and Hannah Nicholson ’20, Abdelrehim had seven, while Casanueva and Nicholson finished with six. For Chicago, the standout players were Taylor Lake and Olariche Obi. Lake was the top scorer of the game with 20 points, and Obi added 14 points and 10 rebounds.
After their loss to Chicago on Friday, the Judges returned to the Red Auerbach Arena on Sunday to face Washington University. The Judges were unable to come out on top and lost 101-67 to Washington. This leaves Washington 5-0 in the UAA, and Brandeis 2-3. The visiting Washington University Bears dominated all four quarters, outscoring Brandeis. The Judges struggled to connect on field goals, going 25-for-61, while the Bears went 40-for-68.
Two rookies, Kerry Tanke ’22 and Maya Burris ’22, led the Judges in scoring, Tanke finishing with 14 points and Burris finishing with 12 points. Burris and Tanke also both shot well from the three-point line. Tanke went 6-for-9 in field goals and Burris made 5-for-6. Casanueva also had 12 points for the Judges. The Bears led in scoring, with five players finishing in the double digits. Washington also led in rebounds and assists, with Kristina Schmelter who had a game-high eight rebounds, and Becca Clark-Callendar who finished with 10 assists. Jaromin led the Judges in rebounds, finishing with five, and was top two for assists. Jaromin and Sophie Trachtenberg ’21, both finished with three assists. The Judges had a strong third quarter with 21 points but couldn’t gain momentum in the fourth.
The Judges will be on the road this weekend, to face two more UAA opponents. Brandeis plays at Emory on Friday, Jan. 25, at 6 p.m., and they face Rochester next Sunday at 1 p.m.
