On Jan. 24, the Brandeis University women’s  basketball team won 72-60 over Case Western  Reserve University on the road, showcasing  strong offensive execution and dominant defense.  The Judges turned the game around in the  first quarter with a 9-0 run to close out the pe riod, leading 18-10 at the break. Senior Cait lin Gresko 25’played an important role, con tributing five points during that run. The  Judges kept pushing forward, holding Case  without a field goal for the final 7:30 of the game. 

Lulu Ohm 25’, the University Athletic As sociation’s leading scorer, scored 23 points  and was 7-of-12 shooting, including 3-of-5 from  beyond the arc. Junior Katherine Vaughan  26’also had an impactful outing, finishing with  15 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. 

The Judges controlled the paint, outscoring the  Spartans 34-20, and were relentless on defense,  holding Case to just 32.8% shooting for the game. The Judges held the Spartans to 27% shooting in  the first quarter and 13% shooting in the fourth. 

In their next game, the Judges lost 74-67 to 24th ranked Carnegie Mellon University (13-3, 3-2 UAA)  in Pittsburgh. The Tartans shot an impressive 49% from the field, including 56% from three-point  range, and took a 51-34 lead into the final quarter. 

The Judges refused to go down without a  fight, however. In the fourth quarter, Brandeis  came alive, outscoring Carnegie 33-13. Junior  Abby Kennedy 26’and Ohm combined for 26 of  those 33 points, with Kennedy scoring 14 points  in the fourth alone. Despite their late rally, the  Judges couldn’t overcome the 27-point deficit. 

Brandeis showed grit and resilience despite the  loss, cutting the deficit to eight points in the clos ing moments. While they couldn't pull away with  the win, this momentum will serve them well as  they close their road trip, starting next Friday  evening at Washington University in St. Louis.