The men’s basketball team had a rough break, losing its last two of three games and its first in-conference game against New York University. The Judges sit at 6-6 overall, 0-1 in University Athletic Association action.

Brandeis 67 No.14 NYU 69

This past Saturday, the Judges looked to dethrone NYU from its spot atop the conference board and from its undefeated season. As guard Nate Meehan ’18 put it, “NYU is a tough team, but we just have to execute the game plan and hopefully that will pay off." The team came up a hair short against their rival in a nail-biting game that featured six lead changes.

The Judges trailed for the majority of the first half but went on an 11-0 run, led by forward Jordan Cooper ’18, to close out the half and regain the lead.

The elation was short-lived as the Violets shot out of the gates with an 11-6 lead to steal back the lead.

Brandeis seemed to make a run to close out the game with a convincing nine point run late in the half.

Yet, with five minutes left to play the Judges turned the ball over five times allowing the Violets to come within a mere two points.

NYU then went on to score eight straight points and extend their lead to four points over the Judges.

Guard Carlin Haymon ’18 hit a clutch three to bring the Judges within one and give them hope for a game-winning shot.

With time expiring, the Judges gave the ball back to Haymon, hoping he could replicate his previous shot, but their efforts were to no avail. Haymon took a solid, but rushed jumper and could not knock down the potential game-winner.

Although the Judges fell in their first conference game of the season, there was much of which to be proud. While NYU sat at the head of the conference, boasting a 9-0 record, the Judges proved their presence and ability. The bench poured in an outstanding 41 points, while the Judges had a season-high five players score in double digits. Along with a shooting percentage of fifty, the Judges showcase a truly prolific offense.

Judges 72 Springfield College 69

The Judges beat Springfield College by a narrow margin, due to a clutch pair of late three-pointers, in the Naismith Classic consolation game.

The first half of the game proved to be a strong test for the Judges, as Springfield took an early nine-point lead in the first half. With the help of guard Robinson Vilmont ’17 the Judges were able to cut that lead to just four points, giving them a solid opportunity for a comeback.

Yet the Springfield Pride persisted, pushing the lead back to eight points on multiple occasions throughout the second half. Ultimately, the game came down to the final five minutes, which saw five lead changes.

The Judges were able to generate a 12-4 run due in part to a crucial three-pointer by Haymon and a set of free-throws by Cooper.

Cooper, who racked up 18 total points, was the key factor in the game. With time winding down, Cooper set up on the left wing and nailed a three-pointer to give Brandeis its first win in almost one month.

Defensively, the team still has room for improvement, allowing a shooting percentage of 45.8 and surrendering 33 rebounds. As Cooper explained, “I feel we've been giving up too many buckets in order to compete for anything meaningful this year.

Offense is just one puzzle piece; defense will win us a lot more games than offense ever will.”

Judges 59 Bates 62

Unfortunately, the Judges were unable to replicate their game against Springfield and lost on a crushing three-pointer with just ten seconds remaining on the clock.

The Judges came out strong, leading the Bobcats by three at the half, but the team lost momentum as the Bobcats went on an 11-0 tear at the start of the second half.

Center John Powell ’17, who had a team-high 14 points, brought the Judges back within three with two and-one plays along with two intimidating blocks. Vilmont sunk a three to take back the lead at about halfway through the second half.

With five minutes remaining, Vilmont hit a jumper to increase the lead to four, while Cooper cashed in on a three at the two-minute mark.

With the clock ticking, Vilmont heaved up a desperation shot, but he was unable to connect.

The Judges look to break above .500 as they continue their conference play against the University of Rochester this Friday.

The Judges also welcome Emory University on Sunday at 11 a.m.