On Monday, Nov. 1, the Brandeis women’s basketball team held a preseason scrimmage against Assumption University in the Red Auerbach Arena here at Brandeis University. Assumption University, a Division II school from Worcester, Massachusetts, held the lead throughout most of the match. The Greyhounds, led by coach Kerry Phayre, kept the pressure on the Judges and denied them the win by the end of the fourth quarter. Carol Simon’s Judges could not end the scrimmage with the victory as the final score was 61 to 78.
Despite the loss to the Greyhounds, the Judges are moving forward with their first regular season match against the University of Massachusetts Boston on Monday, Nov. 8, which will also be held in the Red Auerbach Arena at 6 p.m. Following the first match of the season will be the “Brandeis Tip Off Tournament.” Beginning on Friday, Nov. 12, and ending on Saturday, Nov. 13, Brandeis University, Connecticut College, Husson University and Wheaton College will participate in a four-team tournament over the weekend.
The tournament kicks off at 5 p.m. on Friday when the Brandeis Judges face the Wheaton College Lions in the first round. The second match of the first round between the Husson University Eagles and the Connecticut College Camels follows directly after at 7 p.m. The second round, beginning on Nov. 13, starts with the third-place consolation match at noon between the two losing teams from Friday’s matches. Then the championship match will be held at 2 p.m. directly after the conclusion of the third-place match.
Although women’s basketball began with a loss in the preseason against the Assumption University Greyhounds, their regular season matches are starting soon. The women’s basketball team is also going into the regular season with newly promoted full-time assistant coach Aseem Rastogi. In late July, Assistant Coach Aseem Rastogi was promoted to full-time status for the 2021-22 season. Rastogi joined the women’s basketball coaching staff for the 2019-2020 season before the start of the pandemic as a part-time assistant coach.
During his first season with the Judges, he assisted in helping them put up their first winning record, since the 2014-2015 season, of 13-12. During that season the Judges also became the fourth-highest scoring team in program’s history with 1748 points; this set a new school record for points per game with an average of 69.9 points per game.
Although the Judges did not compete in the 2020-2021 season, head coach Carol Simon, in her 35 season with the women’s basketball team, spoke highly of Rastogi, saying, “Aseem’s energy, passion, love for the sport, educator, student of the game, and knowledge over the past two years as the part-time assistant was a great addition to our program” and “Promoting him as the full-time assistant was a no-brainer.”
With the Brandeis women’s basketball team facing a loss in the preseason against the Assumption University team they now look forward to their upcoming home opener and tournament with their newly promoted coaching staff.
