BRUNSWICK, Maine-Jaime Capra '08 got her hands on the ball with 0.6 seconds left and had just one three-point opportunity to keep the women's basketball team's NCAA tournament run alive. Amid the deafening noise of more than 1,500 fans, the most important sound of all was the clang of the Judges' historic and dramatic season coming to an end. From behind the arc, an off-balance Capra released and watched as the ball hit the outside edge of the rim; inches to the left and the game would have headed to overtime.
But when the shot went wide and the buzzer sounded, players and coaches still walked away from Brandeis' first NCAA-tournament appearance with a first-round victory to show for it.
Brandeis qualified for the Big Dance after narrowly missing the tournament the last two seasons because of late-season road losses (both years going on to win the ECAC New England championship), and in a year the tournament was expanded from 50 to 64 teams. The Judges continued their historic season by narrowly defeating Salem State College 63-59 here Friday before falling to host Bowdoin College Saturday, 59-56 in the second round. Unable to snap the Polar Bears' 70-home-game winning streak, the Judges finished the season at 20-4.
"To finally get here after 19 years, it's sweet, it's really sweet," coach Carol Simon said of making the NCAA tournament for the first time in her 19-year career at Brandeis.
The Judges, who never led against Bowdoin Saturday, came out sluggish as the Polar Bears set the pace early and dominated throughout most of the first half. Bowdoin won the tip-off and sank a three-point shot just seconds into the game, extending its early lead to as many as 10 points. Brandeis struggled in the first half, unable to force contact and get to the foul line, and the team continually fell victim to second-chance points, giving up 17 offensive rebounds in the game.
The Judges finally started to find the basket and their half-court defense late in the half to climb to within two points with over seven minutes left. But the Polar Bears responded with a late 6-0 run, and led 30-22 at halftime.
A far more tenacious Brandeis team emerged from the locker room after halftime. With adjustments on defense, Brandeis was able to keep the game tight, closing to within three points several times.
On offense, the team came out firing behind Allison Chase '07, the Judges' leading scorer in the first half, who hit a three-pointer in the first 30 seconds after halftime. After back-and-forth scoring in the second half, the Judges had the opportunity to take the lead after Chase hit a three to tie the game 56-56 with just 1:31 remaining, seemingly seizing the momentum for the Judges.
But Bowdoin quickly answered as senior forward Justine Pouravelis fed senior guard Vanessa Russell for an easy basket.
Pouravelis's play ended up being the game-winner. The Polar Bears missed three of four foul shots in the last minute, giving the Judges the opportunity to tie it, but Bowdoin's swarming defensive trap caught captain Amanda DeMartino '06 on an in-bounding play with six seconds left in the game, taking crucial ticks off the clock and forcing a Brandeis timeout.
With just one second remaining, the Judges found Capra on the inbound who heaved a three-pointer from more than 30 feet out, but the shot hit the rim and bounced off the basket, ending the Judges' first ever run to the NCAA tournament.
"I just think we had a couple of unlucky bounces," Simon said. "We didn't get some offensive rebounds, and you can't do that with a team like Bowdoin. They are a very good team, and you have to give them credit. It really could have gone either way. We were right there."
Bowdoin dominated the Judges on the boards 40-27 and grabbed 17 offensive boards, compared to only four for Brandeis. The Judges sported a balanced offense, with Chase and Caitlin Malcolm '07 pacing the Judges with 14 points each while DeMartino and Capra each added eight.
"They stayed tough, they were physical," Bowdoin coach Stephanie Pemper said. "I definitely give them credit all over the place. I admire their poise and their confidence. Even though we were getting all those boards, they never seemed to get distraught or upset with each other. They stayed tough."
Before their season-ending loss to the Polar Bears, the Judges faced Salem State College here Friday in the first round. The game was close from the beginning, with Salem State's seven-point lead early in the first half equaling the largest margin of the game.
After seven lead changes throughout the first half, Capra attempted to give the Judges the advantage at the break-with a shot from just past half court but was stuffed by two Salem players and fell flat on her face. As Simon adamantly argued the lack of a foul call, Capra laid on the court for a few moments but was ultimately unharmed. The Judges trailed 33-32 heading into halftime.
The second half opened with a defensive struggle on both sides as neither team found the basket for the first three minutes of the half. The Judges scored first behind a Capra layup and the game remained close throughout multiple lead changes. After a three-pointer by Lauren Orlando '09 tied the game 49-49 with seven minutes to play, Chase sank a pair of free throws to give the Judges the lead for good and their first NCAA tournament victory.
"When you get to this level, facing such good teams, it's really the little things that are going to put you over the edge," Simon said. "We knew this was going to be a good game, we knew it was going to be close and we knew it was going to come down to probably the last five minutes, and that's really what happened."
Though their first appearance in the NCAA tournament was a short one, players said they were just excited to be there.
"When you get to a level where we're at right now, the ECACs aren't good enough for us anymore," Simon said. "I think we have set a standard for the program and now getting to NCAAs is a standard, our expectation is NCAA."
Making it to the Big Dance played particularly special importance for captains DeMartino and Clancy, who have seen the program turn around over the last four years.
"To make it this far, there's nothing better," DeMartino said. "I wish we could have won tonight, but I walk away not disappointed and with no regrets whatsoever."
The Judges return next season without either captain, each a pivotal player who has helped carry the program to the level it has reached today.
"It's emotional, when you spend four years with two very special kids," Simon said. "It was such a joy to coach those two, and they have become part of my extended family. It's hard to describe because it's very heart-warming and heartfelt how much I care for those two."
The season is over, but players and coaches are already looking forward to what the next season has to offer. With so many returnees, Simon pointed to a new standard for next year's team, bearing the legacy of this year's triumph.
"I think [the team] understand what it takes to be a champion, what it takes to be a winner, the work ethic that it takes," Simon said. "I think they've learned that when you come to Brandeis to play basketball, there's a very high standard that we set and that the expectations are very high, because it's not easy being one of the top teams in the country-it doesn't just happen, you've got to work for it.