There are some things that just dont change. Be it American Idol never coming to an end, people calling Jimmy Carter the worst president ever, Marty Schottenheimer finding yet another way to lose in the play offs and the New York University Violets continuing to be the scourge of Brandeis womens basket ball.
The Judges were at the receiving end of a very disappointing loss at home to the Violets as they saw a 34-26 evaporate into a 53-59 defeat. With their second loss in UAA play, the Judges saw their rankings fall on d3hoops.com from number 10 down to 17.
Jaime Capra 08 led the Judges offense with 19 points, thanks to three three-pointers and a perfect eight of eight from the free throw line. Capra also had five rebounds in the losing effort. Lauren Orlando 09 had nine points in 15 minutes off the bench and Alison Chase 07 had a career high seven steals. Brandeis also out-rebounded NYU 39-37. These were the only bright spots along side some glaring blemishes, the biggest being a season low 25% field percentage from the floor, which was not helped by the Judges going 4-21 in the second half.
The Violets were super charged by forward Jessica McEntee 09 who finished with a double-double, 21 points and 15 boards. Both totals were game highs. Adrienne Rochetti 07 also chipped in with 12 points. McEntee, Rochetti and Karen Bachman each had four assists.
The game started in Brandeiss favor with an 18-7 lead and built up a 32-21 lead but NYU managed to cut it to a 34-26 Brandeis lead and things went downhill from there. Down 44-39 with nine and a half minutes left to go, NYU got 14 unanswered points in four minutes, aided also by four missed shots by the Judges and four Brandeis turnovers. Despite Capras efforts, which cut the deficit to 53-54, Bachmans three put the game away.
The loss caps off a five game steak in two weeks which saw the Judges swing from brilliance to below average. The Judges inaugurated 2007 with a decisive 57-45 victory over non conference rival Tufts. Capra, Malcolm and forward Cassidy Dadaos 09 all reached double figures in scoring with Capra and Malcolm getting 14 and 13 respectively and Dadaos provided 11 off the bench. This was followed up two days later with their first loss of the season, a 59-69 defeat at the hands of UAA foes, Rochester.
Capra and Malcolm led with 14 and 13 points respectively and rookie guard Jessica Chapin 10 added nine off the bench. Unfortunately, Rochester utilized a 24-8 second half run that was aided by Brandeis going 2-10 in the second half in three point attempts.
The Judges bounced back on January 7, crushing Carnegie-Mellon 71-42. Trailing only once in the contest, Brandeis never looked back, scoring 11 points off of 13 Carnegie-Mellon turnovers in the first half and followed up the second half with a 14-2 run. Malcolm led Brandeis with 16 points and three blocks, Chapin provided massive energy from the bench with 13 points and three steals and Capra had 10 in the contest.
The rookies, Jessica Chapin and guard Lauren Rashford 10 put on a show in the Judges last non-conference game of the season, beating Simmons 64-32. Chapin had 15 points in her first collegiate start as well as four steals while Rashford scored 13 from the bench thanks especially to going three-four from beyond the arc. Dadaos led the team in rebounding with six while Malcolm had eight points and five steals. The defense was especially stringent for Brandeis, forcing 33 Simmons turnovers including 21 steals.
With two losses already to divisional foes, Brandeiss margin of error grows ever slimmer. With their non-conference matches over, now is the time this young squad either breaks away from the pack or sinks into mediocrity. Their youth is both a strength and weakness. Their depth is superior to last years squad and with some players, namely, Chapin;
the best is yet to come. At the same time, inexperience come crunch time may prove to be their undoing.
Brandeis takes on Case-Western Reserve University tonight at six p.m. and Emory University on January 21 at 2 p.m.
