After winning University Athletic Association (UAA) Rookie of the Year as a first-year and being named to the All-UAA second team as a sophomore, junior guard Camila Casanueva ’21 is poised for a big season. Casanueva started right where she left off as the Judges opened their season with three wins.
In the first round of the Brandeis University Tip-Off Tournament on Friday, Nov. 15, the Judges defeated Nichols College 71-45. The Judges beat Framingham State University in the championship game on Saturday, Nov. 16, 72-54. The Judges traveled to Roger Williams on Tuesday, winning 83-63.
Casanueva, who led the Judges in points, assists and steals per game last season, averaged 12 points per game in the Brandeis University Tip-Off Tournament and was named to the All-Tournament team. Against Roger Williams University, Casanueva led the Judges with 13 points and nine assists, a career high. In addition to Casanueva, junior forward Jillian Petrie ’21 won the tournament’s most valuable player. Petrie averaged 12 points per game, shooting 10 of 22 and four of seven on threes. Due to her performance in the tournament, as well as posting 11 points and five rebounds in the next game against Roger Williams University, Petrie was also named the Brandeis Athlete of the Week for Nov. 19.
Off to their best start since the 2015-2016 season, the Judges have excelled at the three point line, both offensively and defensively. The Judges are shooting 43 percent from beyond the arc while holding opponents to just 19 percent from deep, thus far.
The Judges started their season with two wins against Nichols College and Framingham State University at the Brandeis University Tip-Off Tournament. On Friday, Nov. 15, the Judges played against Nichols College and won the game 71-45. The Judges had a balanced attack led by Petrie, who had a game high 12 points against the Bisons. Petrie went five of eight, including two of two from three and added three steals. Up by 11 points at halftime, the Judges outscored the Bisons 21-8 in the third quarter putting the game out of reach. Emma Reavis ’23 filled the stat sheet in her debut, scoring 11 points, highlighted by a step-back three pointer with the shot clock expiring midway through the third quarter. Reavis also notched four assists and collected three steals. Samira Abdelrahim ’21 had ten points and eight rebounds off the bench.
On Saturday, Nov. 16, Brandeis played against Framingham State University in the championship game of the Tip-Off Tournament, defeating the Rams 72-54. Casanueva had eight of her 15 points in the second quarter as the Judges closed the half on a 16-7 run to go 36-25. The Rams got within three points of the Judges in the third period, but Kat Puda ’21 connected on a three with five seconds remaining, pushing the lead to six. The lead never got lower than four points as the Judges pulled away in the fourth quarter. Puda had a game high three makes from beyond the arc to go along with eight rebounds.
The Judges held the leading scorer for the Rams to just two points on one of five shooting. Junior transfer Courtney Thrun ’21 scored 13 points off the bench including seven in the first quarter, and senior guard Lauren Rubenstein ’20 led the game with five assists. Three point shooting was a huge factor in the game, as six Judges made at least two three-pointers. The Judges shot 14 of 30 as team from deep.
The Judges ended the week with a win against Roger Williams University on Nov. 19 and won 83-63. With this win, Brandeis improves to 3-0 for the first time since the 2015-2016 season. Rookie Francesca Marchese ’23 scored six points in the second quarter including a three as time expired as the Judges outscored Roger Williams 25-11. Marchese had nine points in the game and is 7 of 12 from three this season. Ahead by 18 going into the fourth quarter, Casanueva scored eight of her 13 points in the period. Casanueva was one of four Judges starters in double figures.
The Judges dominated the glass, out-rebounding Roger Williams 54-38, largely due to senior forward Hannah Nicholson ’20, who grabbed 15 rebounds and scored 13 points. Reavis scored 13 points on an efficient four of five shooting and tied Petrie with a game high of three steals.
The Judges will be taking on the number two ranked Tufts University Jumbos at home on Saturday, Nov. 23.
Editor’s Note: Camila Casanueva, Courtney Thrun and Francesca Marchese are staff members of The Hoot. Sophie Trachtenberg is the Sports Editor of The Hoot.
