MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – The Brandeis University men's basketball team scorched the nets to the tune of 71 percent from the field in the first half, and the Judges rode a 28-point performance from senior Toby Harris (Durham, N.C./Durham Acad.) to defeat host Middlebury College, 92-81, on the road at Pepin Gymnasium today.

TEAM RECORDS

• Brandeis, 8-2.
• Middlebury, 6-3.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After surrendering the first two baskets of the game, Brandeis would go on to dominate the opening half, taking a 55-30 lead at the break.
• The Judges shot 71% from the field (24-34), including 47% from 3-point range (7-15), while holding Middlebury to 38% overall (13-34) and 9% from beyond the arc (1-11). Brandeis also outrebounded the Panthers, 17-13.
• Harris accounted for 14 of the team's points, while junior Matthew Cadogan (Weston, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas) had 10 points in his first collegiate start.
• Middlebury was able to cut into Brandeis's lead in the second half, when they shot 55% overall (21-38) and 40% from downtown (4-10), while limiting the visitors to 50% total (12-24) and 17% from deep (1-6).
• Harris converted all three free throws after being fouled behind the line with 5:04 to go in the game to give Brandeis an 81-64 lead when the Panthers made one last run.
• The hosts scored eight points in a 90-second span, getting within nine points at 81-72 on a Tristan Joseph steal and lay-up that led to a traditional three-point play with 3:37 left.
• After a Brandeis timeout, Harris scored the game's next four points to push the lead back to 13 points, and the Judges hung on from there.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Brandeis finished with five different players scoring in double figures, paced by Harris's 28 points.
• Harris scored 14 points in each half, hitting 9-of-16 overall, 4-of-10 from 3-point range and 6-of-7 from the line.
• Cadogan added 12 points, his season-high, with 10 coming in the first half, when he was perfect shooting, 4-of-4 from the floor and 2-of-2 from deep.
• Junior Ethan Edwards (Brooklyn, N.Y./Woodstock Acad.) added 13 points off the bench, leading all reserves.
• Junior Jake Bender (Scituate, R.I./St. George's School) and junior Elias Rodl (Berlin, Germany/Schulund Leistungssportzentrum Berlin) each added 10 points.
• Graduate student forward Aedan Using (Old Lyme, Conn./Old Lyme) came off the bench with a fine all-around performance, leading the team with six rebounds, five assists and two blocked shots along with six points.
• Middlebury was paced by Joseph's 20 points, while Sam Stevens had 18 and Evan Flaks added 15.
• David Brennan led the Panthers with eight rebounds and five assists.
• With the win, the Judges improved to 8-2 after 10 games for the second season in a row.
• Brandeis improves to 16-12 all-time against the Panthers.

UP NEXT

• The Judges close out their non-conference slate on Tuesday, January 2, at 2 p.m. against Rivier University as they look to go 9-2 outside the UAA for the second year in a row.