WALTHAM, Mass. – Brandeis University men's basketball sophomore
Gur Dhillon (Frisco, Texas / Brewster Acad., N.H.) scored a team-high 16 points, but the Judges couldn't overcome visiting Western New England University, 67-61, in the 2026-27 season opener for both teams.
TEAM RECORDS
- Brandeis, 0-1.
- Western New England, 1-0.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Brandeis defense got off to a great start, holding WNEU to just one free throw over the first seven minutes of play, but the home team couldn't take advantage, scoring just four points of their own over that span.
- Once the offenses got going, the teams played evenly, with a bucket by first-year Javi Lopez (Lawrence, Mass. / Central Catholic) give Brandeis a 16-14 lead with just under 10 minutes to play in the first.
- Western New England answered with a four-point play by Cody Palazzesi, followed by a Josh Carlson trifecta and lay-up, giving the Golden Bears a 9-0 run and a 23-16 lead with 7:31 on the clock.
- Brandeis would get within three on a jumper by first-year Jakari Clark (Cape Cod, Mass. / Lexington Christian Acad.) at the 4:11 mark that made it 26-23 in favor of the visitors, but a 9-0 run gave WNEU a 35-25 lead at the break.
- The Golden Bears would maintain that lead and increase it to a game-high 14 points midway through the second half, but the Judges wouldn't let them run away with it.
- Clark hit two free throws with 54 seconds left to get Brandeis within four at 63-59, but it was too little too late as WNEU hung on for the 67-61 win.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Dhillon led Brandeis with 16 points, three shy of a career-best. He was 4-10 from the field and a perfect 8-8 from the line. He also had six rebounds and three assists.
- Lopez and first-year Will Hoffmaster (Kensington, N.H. / Concord Acad., Mass.) each scored 14 points for the Judges in their collegiate debuts. Lopez hit 6-7 from the field while Hoffmaster's four 3-pointers paced the Judges.
- Grad transfer Promise Opurum (New Rochelle, N.Y. / Woodstock Acad., Conn.) had a team-high seven rebounds, tied for game-high honors. Junior transfer Harris Dar (Dallas, Texas / Parish Episcopal School) matched Dhillon with three assists.
- Palazzesi had a game-high 18 points for WNEU, while Carlson had 11 points and Eddie McCoy had 10.
- Justin Garretson led the visitors with seven rebounds.
- WNEU had a significant advantage in turnovers, 20-6, converting them into a 22-1 difference in points off those miscues.
UP NEXT
- Brandeis returns to action on Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. when they host rivals Babson.
