Brandeis men’s basketball falls short to second-ranked Emory on Alumni Family Day

By LIAM O’BRIEN
Waltham Times Contributing Writer

The Brandeis men’s basketball team has enjoyed a successful season thus far, entering the weekend with a gleaming 10-3 record on the season while lighting up opponents from beyond the 3-point arc.

However, the Judges had yet to face a team as formidable as Emory University.

A mainstay in the Division III Men’s Basketball Tournament under head coach Jason Zimmerman, the Eagles came into Waltham ranked second in the country and made it tough on Brandeis on Sunday afternoon. The Judges ultimately fell by a score of 88-77 in front of a packed house on Alumni Family Day at the Red Auerbach Arena.

“They are a championship program,” Judges head coach Jean Bain said. “That is the level of the program we are trying to get to. They have seniors and guys who have won there. They are big, physical, and know how to play with each other. They are just a very good team and tough to beat.”

Brandeis certainly gave it their all. Elias Rodl, a junior from Germany, showed off to the tune of 27 points and eight rebounds with five 3-point makes. Senior Toby Harris delighted the crowd with a hammer of a dunk to end the first half en route to 11 points while graduate student and Worcester native Sam Adusei proved to be a steady hand at the point guard position. The MBA candidate notched 15 points and five rebounds along with three assists.

The Judges knocked in 12 3-pointers over the course of the game, good for a 40% clip.

“Offensively, we are one of the top units in the country right now,” Bain said. “The guys are very selfless, and the ball is moving. We are finding the right guys, we are cutting, and they play together. We have to continue that.”

A trey by Harris handed the home team a 50-46 advantage with 16 minutes remaining in the game before Emory put its foot on the gas and began to pull away. The Eagles separated themselves on the glass, garnering 22 second-chance points which proved to be the difference.

“The thing that wins championships is rebounding,” Bain said. “You have to rebound, you have to defend. We have to get better at that.”

The Judges will have another shot at unseating the Eagles on Feb. 16 in Atlanta.

“It comes down to rebounding,” Bain said. “We are not the biggest team in the world, so we have to gang rebound. All five guys have to rebound. But I am proud of our guys. They played tough. We have been fighting all season. We have dealt with a lot of adversity, but I am very proud of these kids.”

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