Coming back after the Thanksgiving break, the Brandeis women’s basketball team is 3-4. Their last three games were decided in dramatic fourth quarters, clueing audiences into the fact that this determined team is still working out its kinks. 

Against Rivier University on Wednesday, Nov. 19, the Judges only scored 35 points in the first three quarters of the game. At the time, their record was 2-2, and the women were fighting for a winning record. But the fourth quarter saw an inspired and dynamic team come alive. Thanks in large part to senior Lulu Ohm ’25, who scored 19 points in the last quarter, the Judges went on a 17-point run, denying the Raiders any points on the board for just over five minutes. 

Freshmen Jessica Maina ’28 and Saviah Shabazz ’28 contributed key plays for the Judges. In what ultimately became the defining two buckets of the game, Shabazz nailed a three-pointer with 6:08 left on the clock and Maina sealed the victory with another three-pointer on the next possession. 

It was a stellar fourth quarter from the Judges as they held the Raiders to 4-17 while improving to 11-14 themselves. Following her individual performances during this game, Ohm was named the New England Women’s Basketball Association Player of the Week. 

But after what should have been a confidence-boosting come-back, the Judges have faltered in their most recent two games against The University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth and Babson College — puzzling for a team that cemented one of their best performances of the season so far in the final 10 minutes of the game just prior. 

Against the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth on Nov. 23, the Judges held their own for much of the game and there were 11 lead changes as the two squads went shot for shot. Ohm and Maina were leaders on the court again, scoring 10 and nine points respectively in the first half of the game. Heading into the third quarter, the Judges were up one point after Maina connected for a three-pointer scrounged off a rebound from a shot from Shabazz.

The Judges floundered after failing to score on their opening possession of the fourth and panic seemed to set in after they went just over six minutes without scoring. They missed 11 shots while UMD scored 11 points. Maina got the Judges within 10 with a three-pointer that made that score 70-63, but the Judges were unable to find their footing. The game ended in a loss that made their record 3-3. 

On Nov. 26, the Judges found some of the late-game enthusiasm that they had so expertly converted into success against Rivier, but still struggled to close out the game. This time, the Babson Beavers led the entire game, despite a second quarter bucket from Katherine Vaughn ’25 that made the score 17-16. The Judges were unable to capitalize on this momentum, and the Beavers scored eight of the next 10 points going into halftime.

There was a similar inability to capture and keep momentum in the second half of the game During the third quarter, the Judges went on a 10-3 run to get them only one point away from Babson, but failed to get on top as the quarter ended with a 9-2 run favoring Babson.

The Judges kept fighting — the women pulled off a six point run to keep the game within ten points after the Beavers made the score 42-32 to open the fourth quarter. But Babson discouraged the Brandeis offense and even after Ohm reeled it in to 44-40 with just under six minutes left, the Judges were unable to get the game within two possessions. The game ended 63-52. 

Consider it a fluke or consider it a sign of a team that’s still figuring out their strength under new head coach Jessica Prichett, but these two losses put the Judges at a crossroads in their season. Looking closely at the final ten minutes of both games against UMass and Babson, the final scores do not speak to the grit that this team displays. When they can convert this grit into points, as they managed to do against Rivier, the fourth quarter should be where the Judges rise above. 

The new talent on the team illustrates the Judges’ potential. Despite the losses, Maina was recognized by the UAA as a NEWBA Rookie of the Week. Ohm, disciplined as ever under pressure, was also named to the NEWBA Weekly Honor Roll.

The Brandeis women’s basketball team will be back at home for their Dec. 3 game versus the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at 6 p.m. They will not face a University Athletics Association rival until the new year when they will travel to New York City to play New York University. With a month to prepare for the true test of their season — UAA competition — the Judges will have the next four games to continue working on their record.