After being upset 90-81 by the University of Chicago, who entered the game with a 2-16 record last Friday night, the men's basketball team trailed 45-38 at the end of the first half against No. 2 Washington University in St. Louis last Sunday on the road. But despite digging itself out of two double-digit deficits in the first half, Brandeis was unable to complete its comeback effort and faded down the stretch, losing 82-57 in the University Athletic Association contest.

"[WashU] executed very well in the second half," forward Steve DeLuca (GRAD) said. "We made a few early turnovers in the beginning of the second half, and they just capitalized by making great plays on offense."

With the two losses, Brandeis falls to 12-8 on the season and 5-4 in UAA play. Brandeis was already out of the top 10 in the NCAA's first New England Regional Rankings before the contest, so the two losses further jeopardize the Judges' hopes of returning to the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year.

The Judges were without five of their regular contributors in last Sunday's game against WashU. Starting guard Andre Roberson '10, starting forwards Terrell Hollins '10 and Christian Yemga '11, reserve guard Kenny Small '10 and reserve forward Napoleon Lherisson '11 all missed the WashU game for a "violation of a team rule," according to head coach Brian Meehan.

Meehan confirmed that the five players were not in violation of any University policies?(see sidebar, right).

"Although it wasn't really a big deal, it was a team rule nonetheless," Meehan said. "They had to deal with the consequences."

As a result, forwards Rich Magee '10 and Vytas Kriskus '12 and guard Tyrone Hughes '12 joined two regular starters, guard Kevin Olson '09 and DeLuca, in the starting lineup. This was the first collegiate start for Kriskus and just the second for Hughes.

WashU hit its first nine shots of the game, including four three-pointers, building an early 26-16 lead. Brandeis responded with a seven-point run to close the gap to three points, but the Bears pushed the lead to 42-30 with just three minutes left in the first half.

Three-pointers from Olson and guard Beau Bonness '11 helped trim the Judges' deficit to four at 42-38 with 39 seconds left in the first half, but WashU junior guard Ross Kelley drained a three-pointer just before the first-half buzzer to give the Bears a seven-point lead at the half.

WashU senior guard Sean Wallis, who, along with DeLuca, was a D3hoops.com preseason All-America selection, missed all but two minutes of the first half, picking up two early personal fouls. Wallis responded right away by scoring seven of the Bears' first 12 points of the second half as WashU took a 57-40 lead with 15 minutes to play.

WashU would only allow the Judges to come within 14 points after that and cruised to a 25-point victory, Brandeis' most lopsided defeat this season.

Only six Brandeis players played more than three minutes in the contest. Bonness logged 18 minutes off the bench to supplement the starters, and guards John Weldon '10 and Jaime Shannon '12 saw a combined four minutes of action.

"It's tough [playing shorthanded], especially when you're playing against the defending National Champions at their place," McKoy said. "We did the best we could, you can't ask for more than the guys gave us."

DeLuca said fatigue may have contributed to the team's second-half performance.

"I was pretty tired; I think [Olson] was tired. Shots weren't really falling in the second half," DeLuca said.

Kriskus and Hughes led the team in scoring with 15 and 14 points respectively.

"[Kriskus and Hughes] played well. They had their moments; they showed us that we do have a bright future ahead of us," McKoy said.

Hughes said he was told he would start in place of Roberson at the team hotel prior to getting on the bus for the WashU athletic center.

"I was definitely not nervous," Hughes said. "I'm always ready to step in. I work hard every day in practice. [Roberson] pushes me every day; I push him every day."

Against Chicago, Brandeis shot 60.4 percent from the floor, including 68.8 percent in the second half, but 17 Maroon three-pointers negated the Judges' offensive performance.

Chicago built an early 17-4 lead, but Brandeis went on a 17-3 run in the next eight minutes to give the Judges their last lead of the game, 21-20, with 6 minutes, 47 seconds left in the first half.

Trailing 38-28 at the half, Brandeis fell behind by as many as 19 in the second half, before cutting the deficit to just six with 53 seconds left. Still, Chicago held on for the nine-point win.

"It was frustrating,"?DeLuca said. "Every time we thought we were going to make a little run, they hit a three and extended the lead."

Olson led the way for the Judges with 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting, including a game-high six three-pointers.

Brandeis next travels to Carnegie Mellon University Friday at 8 p.m. and then to the University of Rochester Sunday at 11:30 a.m.