WALTHAM, Mass. — The Brandeis University women's basketball team led nearly wire-to-wire tonight as the Judges defeated Emmanuel College, 66-54, in non-conference action in Red Auerbach Arena tonight. With the win, Brandeis improved to 4-1, their best start since winning their first five games of 2009-10. The Saints fall to 2-4 on the campaign.

      Brandeis led for all but 15 seconds after sophomore guard Frankie Pinto (San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente) scored the game's first bucket, a 3-pointer, abot two minutes in. The Judges had a balanced attack, with five players scoring between eight and 13 points. Sophomore forward Maria Jackson (Rochester, N.Y./Hilton) led the way with 13 points and 10 rebounds (four offensive) for, the double-double was the second of her career. Jackson had 9 points and six boards in the second half. She also tied for team-high honors with three assists and had four steals, both career-bests.

      Classmate Sydney Sodine (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills West) also stuffed the stat sheet, finished with 11 points, nine rebounds and a game- and career-high six steals. She also had three assists on the night. Junior guard Niki Laskaris (Swampscott, Mass./Swampscott) added 10 points, while Pinto and rookie guard Noel Hodges (Southampton, N.Y./Southampton) had eight points each.

      Emmanuel was led by senior captain Vanessa Bramante (Stoneham, Mass./Stoneham), who led all scorers with 14 points and was one of three Saints players with five rebounds. Junior guard Sarah Higgins (Groveland, Mass./Pentucket Regional) also had a terrific all-around game with nine points, a game-high eight assists and five rebounds, three of which came on the offensive glass.

      Brandeis owned a 33-26 lead at halftime as Pinto and sophomore guard Kyla Gabriel (Tivoli, N.Y./Red Hook) had six points each. The Judges shot 37 percent (10-27) to open up the seven point lead, while holding EC to 26 percent (10-39). The visitors pulled within one point with 16:41 to go when rookie Karlee Alves (Ellington, Conn./Ellington) connected from downtown to cut the lead to 36-35. Sodine hit two free throws on the other end, sparking a 9-0 run and the Judges never looked back.

      Brandeis returns to action on Tuesday, Dec. 2, at home against Anna Maria College at 7 p.m. Emmanuel hosts Amherst College at the same time.