WALTHAM, Mass – Another big second half by Melissa Alwardt and some clutch scoring from Jodie Luther helped Rochester to a 61-50 women's basketball victory over Brandeis University at the Auerbach Arena.

The win gives Rochester a 4-3 record in the University Athletic Association at the halfway point. Rochester is 14-4 overall. Brandeis is 2-5 in the UAA and 10-8 overall.

Alwardt finished with a game-high 22 points, all of them coming in the second half. She hit 12 of 12 from the foul line, many in the closing minutes as the Yellowjackets clung to their advantage. On Friday night, she tied a Rochester record by scoring 25 points in the second half (had 28 overall) in an 82-69 loss at NYU. She hit 15 of 15 from the foul line, which broke the Rochester single-game record for free throws made in a game. 

Luther finished with 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Rochester. She had 10 of the 15 points in the first half. Mia DePalo led Brandeis with 21 points and hit five three-point goals. Morgan Kendrew scored 13 points.

Rochester opened the game on a 9-2 run and led by as much as nine, 18-9, midway through the first half. The Judges nibbled, and with the help of 10 points from DiPalo and six from Kendrew, drew even at 24-all at halftime. 

The Yellowjackets held the Judges scoreless for more than five and a half minutes midway through the second half. In that time, a 10-0 run put Rochester up, 47-37, with 7:26 to go. Alwardt scored five of the 10, canning a three-pointer and making two free throws. Brandeis got as close as seven twice, the last time on a jumper by Kendrew with 2:14 to go (53-46). Alwardt hit eight of her 12 free throws in the final 68 seconds to seal the win.