From Brandeis University Athletics
The Brandeis University women's basketball team raced past the visiting Wentworth Inistitute of Technology Leopards 75-44 in the opening game of the Brandeis Tip-Off Tournament presented by the Park Lodge Hotel Group at Red Auerbach Arena. A high pressure defense and efficient interior game put the visitors away early as senior forward Maria Jackson (Rochester, N.Y./Hilton) paced the Judges with a game-high 21 points. Brandeis improves to 2-0 while WIT falls to 0-2.
After a slow first few minutes with both teams getting their bearings, the score was knotted at 4-4. However, Brandeis would soon big an insurmountable advantage that began with a jumper from senior guard Paris Hodges (Southampton, N.Y./Southampton). A pair of freebies by senior forward Sydney Sodine (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills West)and a putback from Jackson made it 10-4 with 5:40 remaining in the period. Despite a more than two and a half minute scoring drought for both squads, the Judges pulled away with a 10-2 spurt in the final three minutes to close the quarter on a 16-2 run and head into the second with a 20-6 advantage.
The visitors opened the second quarter with a trifecta by rookie guard Sam McGibbon (Pembroke, Mass./Pembroke) but to make it 20-9 and with 5:12 remaining in the half another 3-pointer by McGibbon cut the visitors' deficit to 25-15. Despite McGibbon's sharp shooting that was as close as the Leopards would get. A 12-0 stretch by Brandeis featuring baskets by four different players made it 37-15 and allowed the home team to cruise into the break leading 39-21.
Even though the Judges could only muster 36.8% shooting from the field and an 0-for-7 half from beyond the arc, they forced 21 turnovers and had WIT on the ropes for the vast majority of the first 20 minutes.
The second half was more of the same for Brandeis as their lead ballooned to as much as 36 twice in the fourth period. The visitors closed the contest on a 5-0 surge but the Judges won their home opener in a comfortable rout, 75-44.
Jackson led all scorers with 21 points on 9-for-10 shooting from the field and a 3-for-4 night at the charity stripe. She also pulled down a game-high seven rebounds (four offensive) and dished out two assists. Paris Hodges joined her in double-figures with 11 points while 12 different Judges scored at least two points. Brandeis held a 55-30 edge on WIT in rebounds and consistently crashed the offensive glass to the tune of 25 offensive caroms.
The Leopards were led by McGibbon who buried four shots from downtown on her way to a team-high 13 points off the bench. Junior forward Haley Sabino (Topsfield, Mass./Pingree School) led the starters with nine points on 4-of-8 shooting from the field.
In the second game of the evening, the Westfield State Owls (1-1) steamrolled the Rhode Island College Anchorwomen (1-1) with their own high-pressure, high-pace style in a 103-68 rout.