Men's Basketball Drops Non-Conference Game at Brandeis

WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University men's basketball team shot 53% from the field and 50% from 3-point range in the first half tonight as the Judges led wire-to-wire in a 79-49 non-conference victory over Emmanuel College in Red Auerbach Arena. The Judges improve to 11-8 with the win, while the Saints fall to 13-10.

Brandeis scored their first nine points from 3-point range and 21 of their first 23 from downtown, taking a 23-5 lead just under eight minutes into the contest on a Dylan Lien (Northborough, Mass.) trifecta. The Judges doubled up the Saints in the first half, 48-24, by hitting 19-of-36 overall and 10-of 20 from long range. Though Brandeis cooled off considerably in the second half, hitting only 42% from the field (14-33) and 23% (3-13) from downtown.

Brandeis was led by rookie Toby Harris (Durham, N.C), who scored 19 points, one shy of his career-high. He hit 8-of-11 overall and 3-of-5 from 3-point range. He also tied his career-high with 10 rebounds for his second career double-double. Graduate student Tommy Eastman (Honeoye Falls, N.Y.) scored 16 of his 18 points in the first half, finishing with nine rebounds to just miss a double-double. Lien added 14 points and connected on a game-high four 3-pointers, while junior Darret Justice (Haymarket, Va.) added 10 points.

The Judges dominated the boards, 49-32. They also distributed the ball well, finishing with 24 assists on 33 baskets as all but one active player registered an assist, but none with more than three. Brandeis finished the game shooting 48% (33-69) overall and 39% (13-33) from beyond the arc.

Emmanuel had just one player score in double digits, sophomore Donte Pope (Middletown, Conn.) who tallied 16 on 5-of-13 from the field, 1-of-1 from deep, and 5-of-8 from the line. Pope also led the Saints with seven rebounds. Junior Eljay Morris (London, England) had a fine defensive effort with five blocked shots. The Saints were whistled for just four fouls in the game and turned the ball over just six times.

The Saints finish up their regular season with a trip to Dean College for a Saturday conference game at 3:00 p.m. Brandeis finishes the campaign with their final five games in the University Athletic Association, starting on Friday evening when they play host to the University of Chicago at 5:30 p.m. 

Portions of this release courtesy Brandeis Athletic Communications