Omri Ayalon '05 scored 20 points, but the Judges were unable to control the rebounds as they lost to host New York University on Saturday to host New York University, 78-63. The Judges were out-rebounded 43-27, and allowed the Violets to shoot 48 percent from the field. The game started close, but NYU opened up a 25-4 run midway through the first half which the Judges never closed to under double digits.
"I think we were pretty tight from the ride up," Ayalon said. "We're still getting used to playing with each other."
Despite the loss, the team had managed to snap a tough seven-game losing streak at the expense of the Framingham State Rams on Thursday in an 82-69 victory. Swingman Tim Deihl '04 came out of the gates on fire, scoring 16 of the team's first 18 points in only ten minutes of action. Using an array of mid-range jumpers and layups to keep the Judges in the game early, Deihl finished with a career best 21 points, 11 rebounds and a game-high five assists. Forward Bryan Lambert '04 added 20 points and nine rebounds while guard Greg Kristoff '04 contributed a spark off the bench, hitting three 3-point field goals- a team high- and scoring 16 points.
The Judges started the game off slowly as their sloppy play led to an early seven point deficit. Brandeis then came storming back as a Lambert layup followed by 12 straight points by Deihl gave the Judges a 16-15 advantage with 12:23 left in the half. The action stayed close with Brandeis steadily increasing its slight lead over the next seven and a half minutes. The Judges led 31-26 when Kristoff caught fire, hitting three 3-pointers in a two and a half minute span, sending the Judges to the locker room with a 48-36 lead.
The second half began as more of the same for the two teams as Brandeis steadily increased its lead to 17. Behind a flurry of three-pointers and free throws, Framingham State was able to claw their way back into the game as the Judges began to turn the ball over and miss shots. Led by Ryan Dacey's 29 points, the Rams crept back into the game and trailed by only five with 3:42 remaining. Still, the Rams couldn't get over the hump as an unintentional foul sent Lambert to the line, increasing the Brandeis cushion to seven points. The Rams missed a free throw and their next two field goal attempts putting them in desperation mode. In a backbreaking possession for Framingham State, the Judges were able to run 28 seconds off the clock before a foul was called on Dacey, his fifth. With 1:15 left on the clock, Ayalon hit both free throws to give the Judges an 80-69 lead and put the game out of reach for the Rams.
The Judges ended the game shooting 53.1 percent for their second-best outing of the season. Brandeis also owned the glass, out-rebounding Framingham 45-20. Other than Dacey, Shane Little was the only other Ram in double-digits with 11 points. The win pushed the judges to 2-7 (0-2). The loss dropped Framingham State to 5-5.
Unfortunately for the Judges, this game was the highlight of their winter break schedule. In their other five contests over this span, Brandeis went 0-5, including a disheartening overtime loss to UAA rival Carnegie Mellon University in their conference debut. Despite leading by as many as nine points in the second half, the Judges were unable to close out the game, allowing CMU to force overtime. The game looked to be in hand as back-to-back layups by Lambert and junior point guard Stu Pradia gave Brandeis a 75-71 lead with only 1:05 remaining. However, on the ensuing possession, CMU guard Eliot Goren converted a 3-point play to pull the Tartans to within one. Adding injury to insult, Lambert came out with a twisted ankle on the play that forced him to miss the rest of regulation, overtime, and the Judges next two games. Proceeding without Lambert, sophomore forward Pat Collier hit 1 of 2 from the line for the Judges on their next possession before CMU forward Michael Givens hit a layup for the biggest 2 of his 31 points on the day tying the game up with only 29 seconds left. A Brandeis turnover then gave the ball back to the Tartans who missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer sending the game into overtime.
In the extra frame the game once again looked promising for the Judges'. Pradia hit a jumper right off the bat and then Deihl forced a turnover. Unable to expand their lead on that opportunity, the game stayed close the rest of the way. With one minute remaining Senior forward Bosanacwas at the line for two shots in a tie game. Bosonac converted on 1 of 2 but Givens came right back and hit his only three of the night to put CMU up 84-82. Pradia then missed a jumper and Brandeis was forced to foul the rest of the way. The Tartans sealed the game by hitting their free throws despite a 3-pointer by junior guard Omri Ayalon that pulled the Judges to within one with nine seconds remaining. A.J Straub was then fouled intentionally and hit both his shots before Brandeis attempted a desperation 3-pointer to tie the game. The shot was waived off and Brandeis took the loss 88-85.
"I think we need to keep working harder in practice," Ayalon said. "We need to have better rebounding.
Despite the loss, Brandeis had four players in double figures led by Lambert's 17 points. Ayalon added 16 points, while Deihl had 14 points and nine rebounds. Bosanac chipped in with 13 coming off the bench. Michael Givens had a game-high 31 points and Matt Kaitz added 15 points and 9 rebounds to lead Carnegie Mellon.
It didn't get any easier for Brandeis after the loss. Only two days later The Judges' were up against the fourth ranked team in the nation, the University of Rochester Yellow Jackets. To make things worse for Brandeis, they were playing one of the biggest and most physical teams in the conference without starting Center Bryan Lambert who was out with an ankle injury suffered against Carnegie Mellon. Undersized and outmanned, the Judges lost 87-53. One bright spot for the Judges was sophomore forward Pat Collier who led the Judges with a season-high 15 points off the bench. Deihl and Ayalon both also reached double digits with 13 and 10 points respectively. For the Yellow Jackets Andy Larkin led the way with 16 and Seth Hauben added 15 points and nine rebounds.
In other action, the Judges suffered another difficult loss at the hands of WPI in an 89-64 route. WPI opened the game with an 18-4 run and never looked back as their 60 percent shooting from the floor and outrageous 69.2% from beyond the arc shot the host Judges right out of Auerbach Arena. Somehow Brandeis managed to have five players in double figures but got only three points from other contributors. Ian Bonzani helped the Engineers win their sixth straight going 7-8 from the field, including 3-3 from downtown and 6-7 from the foul line and scoring a game and career-high 23 points.