ATLANTA, Ga. -- The Brandeis University women's basketball team
was unable to overcome one of their worst shooting days of the
season, as the 13th-ranked Judges fell to host Emory University,
69-56, after shooting just 29 percent from the field (20-67). With
the loss, Brandeis falls to 12-3, 2-3 in the UAA, while Emory moves
to 10-6, 1-4 UAA.
Emory never trailed in the contest. The teams traded 3-pointers
on their first possessions, but Emory junior LeShonda Lillard
(Bloomington, Ind./South) answered with another trifecta, touching
off a 7-0 run. The Eagles led by as many as 13 points in the first
half, the latest coming at 33-20 with 1:48 remaining. Brandeis
scored the last two buckets of the stanza, both by junior forward
Kasey Gieschen (Boonton Lakes, N.J./Mountain
Township) to trim the deficit to 33-24 at the break.
The Judges extended the run in the opening moments of the first
half, starting with a Jessica Chapin (Mendon,
N.Y./Honeoye Falls-Lima) trifecta. A lay-up by senior forward
Cassidy Dadaos (Healdsburg, Calif./Healdsburg) got
Brandeis within 33-29 with just over two minutes elapsed in the
second. The visitors had three attempts to get within a basket, but
could not convert.
Emory reclaimed the momentum with a Mary Smith (Houston,
Texas/Bellaire) 3-pointer, touching off a string of four trifectas
in a five-possession stretch. Junior Whitney Martin (Barrington,
Ill./Barrington) connected from deep to put the lead back to double
digits, and after Smith and sophomore Courtney Von Stein
(Trafalgar, Ind./Indian Creek) hit from long range, the Eagles were
up by 16, 45-29, with 13:56 left in the contest. The lead grew to
17 points on a Lora Turner (Florence, Ala./Mars Hills Bible School)
free throw with 11:58 remaining and was still there after another
Turner bucket with 10:34 on the clock.
Brandeis would not go away, however, as they embarked on a 14-3
run over the next 6 minutes. A trifecta from sophomore guard
Diana Cincotta (W. Boylston, Mass./W. Boylston)
got the lead back to single digits, and a pair of Chapin foul shots
brought the Judges within six, 55-49, with just over four minutes
on the clock. After Lillard missed the front end of a one-and-one
on the next possession, Brandeis had a chance to climb even close,
but Chapin's shot was off the mark and she was called for a foul on
the rebound. Lillard converted this time and the Eagles were able
to pull away at the free throw line.
Lillard led all scorers with 26 points, hitting 5-of-10 from the
field, 2-of-4 from deep, and a remarkable 14-of-15 performance from
the line. She also had a game-high five assists. Turner also
reached double figures on 6-of-9 from the field and 2-of-4 from the
line. Martin had a fine all-around game for the hosts, with seven
points, a game-high eight rebounds, four assists and five blocked
shots. The Eagles shot 46 percent for the game (23-50).
Brandeis had two players in double figures, as Gieschen and
Chapin each scored 10 points. Gieschen had eight in the first half,
while Chapin had eight in the second, but shot just 2-of-11 for the
game from the floor. She had two 3-pointers and four free throws.
Dadaos finished with eighr rebounds, tying for game-high honors,
and matched teammate Lauren Rashford (Whitesboro,
N.Y./Whitesboro) for team-high with three assists. Rashford also
had five steals to lead all players. The Judges outrebounded Emory,
45-32, including 22-7 on the offensive glass, but could not
overcome their poor shooting performance.
BOX
SCORE
