Women’s Basketball Edges Brandeis in UAA Action, 66-60

(WALTHAM, Mass.) - The Carnegie Mellon University women's basketball team traveled to Waltham, Mass. on Sunday, January 31 to play the Judges of Brandeis University in a University Athletic Association (UAA) contest and escaped with a 66-60 victory.  The win moves Carnegie Mellon's record to 14-4 and 3-4 in UAA play while Brandeis even their mark at 9-9 and 3-4.

The Tartans trailed 14-8 with 2:30 to play in the first quarter before ending the frame on an 8-2 run to knot the score at 16-16 after 10 minutes of action.  Three-pointers by senior Lindsay Poss (Poolesville, Md.) and sophomore Anna Novak (San Antonia, Texas/Alamo Heights) along with a follow-up bucket by junior Jackie Hudepohl (Saratoga, Calif./Lynbrook (Colgate)) accounted for the Tartans scoring during the stretch.

Novak broke an 18-18 tie with her second three-pointer of the game at the 6:42 mark of the second quarter.  The Tartans held the lead the rest of the half with senior Liza Otto (Glastonbury, Conn.) scoring the final five points for the Tartans as she led all scorers at the break with 13.  For the half, Carnegie Mellon shot 44.4% from the field while holding the Judges to 23.5%.

Carnegie Mellon outscored Brandeis 19-14 in the third quarter and used an 11-5 run to take a 51-41 lead at the end the frame.  Junior Lisa Murphy (McLean, Va./McLean) accounted for 11 of the Tartans 19 points in the third, including nine straight for the visitor's.  Murphy converted all four of her shots from the field and three foul shots for the period.  Poss gave Carnegie Mellon its largest lead (51-40) of the game after she connected on a jumper with 1:40 to play in the third.

Brandeis used an 8-1 run and knotted the score at 59-59 with 1:35 to play when Frankie Pinto drained her third three-pointer of the game.  On the ensuing possession, Poss converted a layup to give the lead back to the Tartans.  Carnegie Mellon then converted five foul shots in the last minute of play to seal the 66-60 victory.  

Carnegie Mellon held Brandeis to a 27.4% effort from the floor while the Tartans shot 44.4%.   After being held to two points in the first half, Murphy led all scorers with 17 points making all six of her shots from the floor and five from the charity stripe.  The junior grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds to record her 10th double-double of the season.  Otto finished with 16 points while Poss chipped in with 15.

Brandeis was led by 16 points from Heather Cain and 11 from Niki Laskaris.

Carnegie Mellon returns home to play New York University on Friday, February 5 with tip set for 6:00 p.m. on the hardwood of Skibo Gymnasium.