WALTHAM, Mass. - The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's basketball team battled back from a 13-point second half deficit to force overtime, but Brandeis University outscored the Engineers by seven in the extra session to win 80-73 in the first game of the Brandeis Judges Invitational.
Trailing 39-28 at the start of the third quarter, RPI (0-2) got a jumper from
Ashlyn O'Neil and a free throw from
Lolo Reynolds to get to within 10 points, 39-29. Emma Reavis answered for the home team, but
Ahnalese Pearson hit a three-pointer to get the difference into single digits. Reynolds followed with a layup and
Hannah McGrath did the same to get RPI within five points, 41-36, before Brandeis (1-1) got two free throws from Lulu Ohm midway through the period. Ohm made it a 10-point game, 46-36, with a shot from behind the arc, but Molly Libby's jumper pulled RPI to within eight points.
Brandeis built its lead to as many as 13 points with just over a minute to play in the third, but a pair of treys and a two from Pearson brought the Engineers to within 54-49. The Judges closed the quarter with a made free throw.
A layup by
Marley Mueller and a three from O'Neil put RPI behind by only one, 55-54, though Brandeis scored the next three points for a 58-54 advantage with 8:11 to play. Mueller and
Nicole DaPra made threes to give Rensselaer its first lead of the second half, 60-58 with 7:32 to play. Another triple by Pearson made it a five-point lead and the game was a one-possession affair the rest of regulation.
RPI forced overtime on a driving layup along the baseline by O'Neil with 37 seconds to play and both teams had a chance to win in regulation but missed attempts.
The teams traded points through the first 1:24 of overtime with Danielle Strauf eventually giving RPI a 70-69 lead. The Judges then took control, primarily from the free throw line as they hit nine consecutive while holding the Engineers off the scoreboard for a 78-70 lead with 34 seconds remaining. Katherine Vaughan made the final shot, also from the stripe, with 25 seconds left for the final margin.
Pearson, a junior, scored a career-high 17 points, including five three-pointers, while O'Neil scored 15 with six rebounds. Reynolds had 13 points and DaPra scored three with a team-best 10 rebounds.
Brandeis was led by Emma Reavis, who had 19 points and seven rebounds, while Tathiana Pierre scored 14 with seven boards. Two others reached double digits, including Vaughan, who had 10 points and 11 caroms.
The second game of the tournament features Connecticut College and Maine Maritime. RPI plays against the loser in the consolation game at noon.
