With just under 15 minutes remaining in the second half of last Sunday's game against Case Western Reserve University, the women's basketball team was at a critical point, leading by just two points after surrendering a double-digit first-half lead. In last Friday's loss to Emory University, a similar letdown occurred in a 75-63 loss during a game the Judges led by as many as 20 points.

But this time, the Judges regained their touch. Just 17 seconds after entering the game, reserve forward Kasey Gieschen '10 hit a jumper from the right side, igniting a 28-11 run over the next 10 1/2 minutes that put away the Spartans 72-63. The win, which put the Judges into a tie for third place in the University Athletic Association, just one game back of No. 13 University of Rochester and No. 23 Washington University in St. Louis, who are currently tied at 7-2 in the conference.

"This [win] was big for us," Gieschen said. "We all just came out with a vengeance."

Guard and captain Jaime Capra '08 led the team with 20 points, nine rebounds and six assists, but it was the bench, led by Gieschen and reserve point guard Lauren Rashford '10, that was key in putting away the game in the second half. The Judges' reserves outscored Case Western's 29-18, including 20-9 in the second half.

"The group that came off the bench really gave us a nice spark," coach Carol Simon said. "Defensively, I thought they did a fantastic job, and that was the key. When that group came in, defensively, we got some good stops, and then we got some good looks inside. . It allowed some of the starters to get rest towards the end."

A Capra jumper from the left side of the court gave the Judges a 29-18 lead with 4:48 seconds left in the first half. Case Western cut the lead to 29-23 at halftime and closed to within 34-32 before the Judges' 28-11 run, capped by a three-point play by forward and captain Cassidy Dadaos '09.

"If one group wasn't doing it well, the other group went in and they did the best they could," reserve forward Amber Strodthoff '11 said. "We're all part of ... the team, and I think today that really showed that we're so much more than five people."

It was the quartet of Rashford, Gieschen, Strodthoff and forward Amanda Wells '09 that did the most damage off the bench. Rashford had nine points and four assists in 18 minutes, while Gieschen had eight points and five rebounds in 14 minutes. Wells and Strodthoff each added four points, and Strodthoff had four rebounds as well.

Last Sunday's victory was key for the team's momentum after last Friday night's loss to Emory. Brandeis shot just seven for 26 on field goals and 30 percent from the free throw line in the second half in defeat. Capra led the team with 16 points and seven rebounds, and three other Brandeis starters scored in double figures, but Emory outscored the Judges 47-21 on 58 percent shooting in the second half to pull off the comeback.

"We stopped attacking [in the second half], we got a little bit more tentative, and then they were able to get a couple stops and make a couple hoops," assistant coach Scott Foulis said. "They made some plays, plain and simple. They took it to us, and we didn't respond well enough."

A layup by Strodthoff, off a pass from reserve guard Carmela Breslin '10 with 1:46 left in the first half, capped a 20-4 run and gave the Judges a 42-22 lead. The Eagles scored six straight points to cut Brandeis' lead to 42-28 at halftime, then tied the game at 48 with 11:57 remaining on a three-pointer by sophomore point guard LeShonda Lillard. On Brandeis' next possession, Capra missed a layup, and Emory took the lead for good after grabbing two offensive rebounds on their next possession.

The Judges continue their UAA homestand next weekend with games against Rochester Friday at 6 p.m. and Carnegie Mellon University Sunday at 2 p.m.