WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University women's basketball team got a fine all-around performance from sophomore Saviah Shabazz (Plano, Texas/Plano West), but the Judges couldn't overcome a fast start and balanced attack by the visiting #16 University of Chicago Maroons, falling by a score of 59-43 in a University Athletic Association contest in Red Auerbach Arena tonight.

TEAM RECORDS

• Brandeis: 13-10, 3-9 UAA.
• Chicago: 17-5, 9-3 UAA, ranked #19 in Division III by D3hoops.com

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Chicago never trailed in this one, scoring the game's first five points and never looking back.
• They led by as many as nine in the first period before Brandeis scored the last five to get within 15-11 after the first 10 minutes.
• A 3-pointer by Brandeis sophomore Jazzy Perez (Johns Creek, Ga./Centennial) opened the second period to get the Judges within 15-14, but UC's Annabelle Spotts answered from deep.
• After Shabazz dialed long distance to again get Brandeis within one at 18-17 with 6:44 to go in the half, Chicago scored seven unanswered to reopen a three-possession game.
• Perez hit another 3-pointer with 1:24 to go in the stanza, but Chicago's Caroline Workman hit two from beyond the arc in the final 31 seconds, beating the buzzer to give the Maroons a 37-24 lead at the break.
• The Maroons led by double figures for most of the third quarter, taking a 51-36 lead into the fourth.
• The Judges opened the final quarter with some momentum, scoring the first six points to close within 51-42 on a Shabazz lay-up with 7:24 remaining.
• The Judges played excellent defense in the fourth, holding UC to just eight points, but they would score just one more point the rest of the way themselves as Chicago took the 16-point win.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Shabazz led the Judges with 11 points and four assists on the night. She hit 5-of-10 from the field with a 3-pointer.
• Senior Katherine Vaughan (Bedford, Mass./Bedford) also was excellent on both ends of the floor, finishing with 10 points, and team-highs of seven rebounds, three blocked shots and two steals.
• Perez added nine points off the bench.
• Chicago had a balanced attack, with Workman scoring 11 points, Chris Sanders and Alexis Clark adding 10 each, and four others adding between six and nine points.
• Kasi Samuda had eight rebounds off the bench to lead all players, helping UC to a 42-33 advantage on the boards.
• Sanders had four assists, while Workman and Kate Gross had three each, as the Maroons assisted 14 of their 20 baskets, compared to nine of 16 for the Judges.
• UC had seven 3-pointers to Brandeis's four and outscored the Judges, 12-7, from the line.

UP NEXT

• The Judges will face off against another ranked opponent, #16 Washington University, on Sunday at noon as they celebrate Senior Day.