From University of Rochester Athletics
The University of Rochester took advantage of shooting struggles by Brandeis University in the latter stages of the second half and pulled away for an 81-58 victory at the Louis Alexander Palestra on Friday night.
Rochester evened its record in the University Athletic Association to 6-6 and stands at 15-8 overall with two games left. Brandeis is 2-10 UAA, 6-17 overall with two left.
Brandeis hit 7 of 14 outside the three-point arc in the first half and trailed by just four, 44-40, at halftime. Rochester used an 11-3 spree to build a 12-point lead (57-45) five minutes into the second half.
The Judges got a conventional three-point play from Lawrence Sabir to trigger a 7-0 run. When Latye Workman drove the lane for a scoop shot, Brandeis was within 57-52 with 11:19 to play.
That was the last field goal of the game for the Judges. Their final six points came from the foul line –two free throws apiece by Nate Meehan, Austin Clamage, and Sabir. Rochester scored 12 straight, then added another 10 to put the margin at 79-54 with more than three minutes left.
Jacob Wittig led Rochester with 18 points and five assists. He hit 7-9 from the field, 2-4 outside the arc. Andrew Lundstrom scored 14 points on 6-8 accuracy (1-1 on threes). Ryan Clamage had 13 points and five assists while Patrick Benka scored 13, including 4-4 outside the arc.
The Yellowjackets hit 52.5% from the floor, 56.5% in the second half. They scored 20 points off 19 Brandeis turnovers.
Brandeis, which hit 56.5% from the floor in the first half (13-23), was sharp outside the arc (7-14, 50%). Different story in the second half: 5-22 from the floor (22.7%), 1-11 on threes (9.1%). Chandler Jones scored 12 points, blocked two shots, had two steals, two assists, and seven rebounds. Corey Sherman had 11 points. Nate Meehan scored eight.
In the first half, Rochester scored the game's first nine points before Sabir drove for a layup. That got Brandeis going. The Judges outscored UR, 14-5, in less than three minutes and got within 14-13 on a three-pointer from Eric D'Aguanno. They took their first lead with an 8-0 run midway through the period: two free throws from Jones and back to back threes from Meehan at the key.
Ryan Clamage scored seven points in a late first half run (16-9) that pushed UR ahead to stay at 39-36.
Rochester's answer when Brandeis pulled within 57-52 was quick and balanced: Lundstrom dropped in a hook. Tucker Knox made a conventional three-point play after a heady pass from Clamage on the fast break. Clamage followed with a layup, Wittig sank a trey from the right of the key, and Alexander Gamble made two free throws. It was 69-52 with 7:38 remaining.