ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Maria Jackson  and Paris Hodges combined for 35 points and 20 rebounds to lead Brandeis University to a 69-65 upset of the University of Rochester at the Louis Alexander Palestra on Friday evening. 

Jackson finished with 20 points and eight rebounds. Paris Hodges had 15 points and 12 rebounds. Her younger sister, Noel, had four points and three assists.

Brandeis won its third straight road game and improved its record to 5-5 in the University Athletic Association, 12-9 overall.

Al Leslie  scored 19 points for Rochester and Lauren Deming  scored 13. Rochester is 7-3 in the UAA, 17-4 overall. The Yellowjackets entered the game ranked No. 9 by D3hoops.com and the WBCA. Rochester was ranked first in the East Region by the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Committee this week. 

The Yellowjackets are now one game behind Washington University (MO) in the UAA women's race. Washington is 8-2. NYU is third at 6-4. The Violets lost at Emory University on Friday night. NYU plays at Rochester on Sunday at 2 pm.

Brandeis took advantage of Rochester's ice-cold shooting in the second quarter. Rochester made only one of 14 field goal attempts (0-4 outside the arc). Brandeis got baskets from Jackson, Heather Cain, and Sydney Sodine to take a 22-20 lead four minutes into the second quarter. Rochester drew within two points three times, the last on a fast break layup by Kelsey Hurley with 1:29 left in the period. Paris Hodges made a layup and Frankie Pinto swished a three-pointer from left wing to give Brandeis a 31-24 lead at halftime.

The lead grew to 10 points several times in the second half and finally to 11, 60-49, after two free throws by Noel Hodges with the clock below three minutes in the fourth. Rochester tried to rally, getting three conventional three-point plays by Leslie plus a tree-point field goal from Deming to creep as close as 67-63 with 20 seconds remaining.

Brandeis held a dominating 54-33 edge on the backboards, 36-9 at Rochester's end of the floor. The Judges grabbed 18 offensive rebounds and turned those into 18 second-chance points. Rochester scored 10 second-chance points and had 11 points off 14 Brandeis turnovers.