Brandeis women’s basketball team off to strong start

Nothing makes for a better Thanksgiving Day than being undefeated.

This is exactly how the Brandeis University women’s basketball team strutted into the holiday break, sporting a spotless 6-0 record after a 64-52 win over nearby Babson College on Monday night.

“I am actually pleasantly surprised,” second-year head coach Julie Prichett said. “We have a lot of really strong returning players and a lot of our young kids have stepped up. We have come together a little bit faster than I had thought. It has been exciting, honestly. We have experienced a few ups and downs in games, but our team has been able to put it together in the end. We have fought through adversity and played really good defense in some closer games.”

A slight dropoff might have been anticipated after the loss of All-UAA selection Lulu Ohm, but a new high-scorer has filled in her void. Senior guard Abby Kennedy has been rolling offensively, averaging 20 points per game while connecting on 12 3-pointers in her last four contests. The California native netted a season-best 28 points in a victory over Rhode Island College on Nov. 13 and was later named the Brandeis Athlete of the Week along with men’s soccer goalkeeper Tyler Correnti.

“Abby has played limited minutes due to foul trouble, but she has been shooting the ball so well in spurts,” Prichett said. “She is so athletic and dynamic when driving the ball to the basket. She has been a huge contributor on both ends of the floor. Her best basketball is in front of her. When she puts together a full game, it is going to be scary.”

The Judges have received key contributions from other members of the cast, as well. Junior guard Sofia Berisha has chipped in key scoring off the bench while sophomore backcourt mate Jazzy Perez provided critical buckets in a win over Framingham State University on Nov. 15, garnering 13 points.

Brandeis will look to keep the momentum flowing with five more tilts before conference play begins in early January.

“We are trying to be competitive in our non-conference schedule,” Prichett said. “We have played ourselves into a good position where if we can get a few more quality wins, we can carve out an opportunity to get an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament. We are looking to continue to work on our execution. In conference play, every game is a struggle. We want to be in the top third of the league so we can get a chance at that bid.”

The Judges’ next game comes at home against Clark University on Dec. 3 at Red Auerbach Arena in the Gosman Center.