WORCESTER, Mass. – The Brandeis University women's basketball team never trailed today in their first game of 2025 as the Judges defeated Clark University, 75-60. With the win, the Judges surpassed their win total from the 2023-24 season before the midpoint of their campaign and clinched a winning non-conference record.

TEAM RECORDS

• Brandeis, 6-4.
• Clark, 8-5.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Judges and Cougars were tied only once at 6-6 after Clark's Kailey Rios hit a 3-pointer with 5:21 to go in the first period.
• Brandeis outscored the hosts, 12-4, the rest of the way, taking the lead for good on a put-back bucket by junior Mollie Obar (North Yarmouth, Maine/Greely).
• The Judges led, 18-10, after 10 minutes of play.
• Despite missing leading scorer Lulu Ohm (Waltham, Mass./Waltham) for much of the second period due to an early second foul, the Judges were able to extend their lead to 35-23.
• Obar and junior Abby Kennedy (Half Moon Bay, Calif./Half Moon Bay) each had seven points in the second in the absence of Ohm.
• The Judges continued to pull away from Clark in the third, leading by as many as 23 points before taking a 55-36 lead into the final quarter.
• Brandeis was still ahead by 20 points at 72-52 with 2:20 left on the clock before the Cougars finished the game on an 8-3 run to get within 15 at the final.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• The Judges used terrific defense and rebounding in addition to a balanced scoring effort to earn the win.
• Brandeis held Clark to 33 percent shooting or lower in all four periods, including 17.7% in the first (3-17), and 28.1% overall (16-57), including 20% from 3-point range (4-20).
• Brandeis owned a 50-39 rebounding advantage, including 21-14 on the offensive glass. The Judges turned that into a 16-7 scoring edge in second-chance points.
• Individually, Ohm led Brandeis in scoring with 20 points in just 21 minutes after sitting for much of the second quarter. She hit 6-of-14 overall, 1-of-4 from 3-point range and 7-of-8 from the line.
• Ohm reached 20 points in a game for the seventh time in 10 games this season.
• Kennedy finished with 14 points, while Obar had 12 off the bench, helping the Brandeis reserves outscore the Cougars' bench, 30-17.
• Junior Katherine Vaughan (Bedford, Mass./Bedford) led the defensive charge with a team-high 10 rebounds, seven coming on the offensive glass. She also had three assists, tied for team-best honors, and led the squad with three steals in addition to having one blocked shot.
• Kennedy and senior Brooke Reed (Chantilly, Va./Westfield) each added seven rebounds, while Obar matched Vaughan with three assists.
• Clark was led by Cyriah Coleman with 19 points, while Alaina Schatzabel had 13. The pair did a lot of damage at the free-throw line where they combined to shoot 16-of-18.
• The Cougars' Emma Drefs led all players with 12 rebounds, while Olivia Shipley had four assists to lead all players.
• With the win, the Judges surpass their win total from the 2023-24 season with 15 games remaining on the schedule.

UP NEXT

• Brandeis will close out its non-conference schedule on Monday, January 6, at home against Worcester State at 6 p.m. The Judges start University Athletic Association play next Saturday at top-ranked and defending national champions NYU at 3 p.m.