WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University women's basketball team never led tonight as the Judges struggled to score against the visiting University of Chicago defense in a 65-53 University Athletic Association loss tonight in Red Auerbach Arena.

TEAM RECORDS

• Brandeis: 4-11, 0-4 UAA.
• Chicago: 10-5, 3-1 UAA.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Brandeis's offense was streaky throughout the night. In the first period, the Judges were outscored 12-3 over the first 6:11, but they closed on a 10-2 run to get within 15-13 after 10 minutes.
• The Judges tied the game when junior Caitlin Gresko (Howell, N.J./Howell) scored the first bucket of the second period, but Chicago scored 10 of the game's next 12 points.
• The Maroons took a 27-17 lead on Sophia North's lay-up with 6:17 left in the first half and they never looked back.
• The visitors led by as many as 13 points before Brandeis made another late run, scoring nine points in a row. Sophomore Lillie Singleton (Topsham, Maine / Cheverus), had two baskets and two assists in the streak that saw the Judges climb within 33-29 when Singleton found classmate Brooke Reed (Chantilly, Va. / Westfield) with 41 seconds left, but Chicago hit a 3-pointer before the break to take a 36-29 lead into the locker room.
• Chicago extended the lead to nine on Ellie Gross's bucket to start the second half, but Brandeis made another run, scoring seven consecutive points, capped by sophomore Katherine Vaughan's (Bedford, Mass./Bedford) jumper that made it 38-36 in favor of UC.
• Brandeis would claw within one point with 3:51 to go on another bucket by Vaughan that made it 42-41, Chicago, but the Maroons scored the final seven points of the stanza to increase their lead to eight.
• The run extended to 11 when Gross scored the first four points of the fourth quarter, and Chicago led by double digits the rest of the period.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Brandeis was paced offensively by Gresko, who scored eight of her team-high 10 points in the first half. She led the Judges in scoring for the third game in a row.
• Vaughan added seven points off the bench and nine other Brandeis players had between three and six points.
• Vaughan and junior guard Lulu Ohm (Waltham, Mass./Waltham) had a team-high seven rebounds, while senior guard Selenya Gonzalez (Springfield, Mass./Springfield Central) had four helpers to lead the Judges.
• Singleton finished with six rebounds, a career-high, and three assists to go with four points.
• Chicago got 10 points each from North and Lindsey Carter. All of North's scoring came in the first half, while Carter has six of her 10 in the second.
• Marissa Powe led all players with 10 rebounds, while Ellie Gross had five assists.
• Chicago outshot Brandeis, 40% (22-55) to 33% (20-60). Brandeis had eight 3-pointers – coming from seven different players – compared to just three trifectas for the Maroons, but UC outscored Brandeis, 18-5, from the free-throw line.
• Chicago also won the turnover battle, 23-18, turning it into a  26-12 advantage in points off turnovers. They also outscored Brandeis, 28-18, in the paint.

UP NEXT

• Brandeis takes on Washington University on Sunday at 2 p.m., while Chicago heads to top-ranked NYU. The Violets defeated the Bears tonight, 67-56.