The Brandeis men’s basketball team kicked off their 2024-25 season last Tuesday, Nov. 12 — and since then, there’s been nothing but positive news and strong performances to report.

The Judges opened the season with a match-up against Western New England University. The stakes were high: not only was it the first game for the 2024-2025 squad but senior Toby Harris ’25 made his long-awaited return after missing all but three games last season. Back from his injury, he did not disappoint, scoring eight points in the first half of the game and 13 in the second. 

Junior Ethan Edwards ’26 and graduate student Sam Adusei MA’25 also recorded points in the double digits, with 14 for Edwards and 11 for Adusei. The Golden Bears certainly put up a fight — they shattered the Judges’ 18-point lead, bringing the game back to a difference of just six points near the end of the second half. However, the Judges ultimately emerged victorious with a final score of 85-79. 

On Nov. 15, the Judges continued their winning streak with a historic game against Lesley University, scoring 118 points. Just one point shy of the current school record, this was the first time since 1984 that the Judges have recorded 118 points. The school record of 119 dates back to two games played in 1971 and 1975 under former Hall of Fame head coach and former Boston Celtics player Bob Brannum. Prior to Nov. 15, the Judges hadn’t scored more than 110 points in a game since 2013. This was the first time head coach Jean Bain has led the team to put up triple digits in regulation. 

All 15 Judges on the court contributed to the 118-65 victory, which also marked the second-largest margin of victory in Brandeis history. Graduate transfer student Jai Deshpande MSBA ’26 scored the most points amongst the Judges with a total of 17, with Adusei following closely behind with 13. First-years Elias Rodl ’28 and Alex Zakheim ’28 also scored in the double digits; each added 12 points in just the second game of their collegiate careers. Although Lesley’s Malachi Howards scored the game-high of 22 points, the Lynx were no match for the Judges, especially once sophomore Kyle Walters ’27 hit a 3-pointer to put Brandeis ahead by 61, with six minutes left in the game.

Hungry for more, the Judges tasted victory once again in their Nov. 16 match against Colby-Sawyer College, throwing down a score of 91-75. While Colby-Sawyer took the lead in the first seven minutes of the game, the Judges soon regained control and continued to gain a steady lead throughout the first half. Colby-Sawyer fought back in the second half, but the Brandeis offense continued to outperform the Chargers, taking a 20-point lead thanks to Jake Bender ’26, who scored a 3-pointer with 10 minutes left in the game. Earning his first double-double of the season with 23 points and a game-high of 11 rebounds, Harris once again distinguished himself as a leader on the team. First-year Rodl continued to prove his powerful presence on the court as well against the Chargers as he scored 20 points for the first time in his collegiate career.

With a confidence-boosting three victories in the bag to mark an impressive start to the season, the Judges hope to extend their winning streak on Wednesday, Nov. 20 at home against Rhode Island College.