WALTHAM, MA – Rochester used a 16-3 run straddling both sides of halftime to take command and defeat Brandeis University, 63-40, at the Auerbach Arena on Friday evening.
The win was the seventh in a row for Rochester. The Yellowjackets are 12-1 overall, 2-0 in the University Athletic Association. Rochester is ranked 10th in the D3hoops.com poll and 12th by the WBCA. Rochester plays at fourth-ranked NYU on Sunday afternoon.
Carnegie Mellon, Washington, NYU, and Rochester all stand at 2-0 in the UAA after Friday's results and they play each other on Sunday. UR goes to NYU and Washington visits Carnegie Mellon.
Al Leslie and Lauren Deming were Rochester's only two in double figures. Leslie scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds. She had eight points in the first five and a half minutes of the second quarter as UR battled back into the game. Deming scored 13 points. She hit back to back three-pointers late in the third quarter as Rochester extended its lead to 16 points through three.
Brandeis took advantage of Rochester's off-target first quarter shooting (UR made just three of 11 from the floor) as well as its ballhandling woes (eight turnovers). With Maria Jackson scoring four points down the stretch, the Judges ended the first period on a 6-0 spurt and led, 12-7 after one.
Leslie hit a series of short turnarounds in the first part of the second quarter to give Rochester a 15-14 lead. Brandeis got a layup from Frankie Pinto and a three-pointer from Pinto out of the left corner to take a 19-15 lead with 3:17 left in the half. The Judges did not make another field goal until the last four minutes of the third quarter. By that time, Rochester led, 31-22.
The surge started with a three-pointer by Tylar Guerrieri. Jillian Silvestri and Kelsey Hurley drove for fastbreak layups and Mary Kronenwetter sank one of two from the line to send Rochester into the locker room with a 23-19 edge. After three free throws by Kyla Gabriel to start the third period (23-22 UR), Leslie scored off the right block, added a pair of free throws, then saw Silvestri make two and Guerrieri knock down a 12 footer off the left baseline. That put Rochester up, 31-22.
A follow shot by Sydney Sodine helped Brandeis creep within seven in the latter stages of the third. Rochester answered with three three-point plays: a traditional layup and foul shot from Kronenwetter, a trifecta from right wing by Deming and another Deming trey, this one from in front of the Yellowjacket bench. UR took a 44-28 lead into the quarter break.
Rochester finished hitting 22 of 58 from the floor (.379), six of 21 outside the arc (.286), and 13 of 15 at the line (.867). Brandeis was 13 of 58 from the field (.224), two of eight from long range (.250), and 12 of 20 from the line (.600).
Brandeis made 10 steals off 21 Rochester turnovers and scored 18 points after Yellowjacket giveaways. Rochester had eight steals on 17 Brandeis turnovers and produced six points. The Yellowjackets dominated the backboards, 52-33. Rochester grabbed 14 offensive rebounds and scored 14 second chance points. Brandeis had 11 offensive rebounds and produced four second chance points.