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Good evening everybody and welcome to Memorial Hall in Plattsburgh, NY. I am Zachary Aronow bringing you live blogging action for the Brandeis Hoot. Be sure to check the NCAA and d3hoops for any prior information and listen live to WBRS.

One minute left to go before the UAA and NESCAC runner ups.

Starting for Brandeis: Kevin Olson, Joe Coppens, Kwame Graves-Fulgham, Terrell Hollins, Steven Hill

Starting for Amherst: Andrew Olson, Brian Baskaukas, Fletcher Walters, Kevin Hopkins and Brandon Jones.

Last time they played, Brandeis upset Amherst at home 72-62 back on December 8. Amherst is 25-3, 9-0 in NESCAC play and without a doubt this should be an exciting game. Andrew Olson is the man to watch on Amherst, averaging 12.1 per game and makes things happen. Fletcher Walters leads the team in scoring with 14.4 points per game.

Brandeis is in their home whites which is fitting as the Brandeis crowd is in full force, dwarfing the Amherst purple so far.

With that, Brandeis wins the tip so it’s on to exciting Elite Eight action, stay tuned.

FIRST HALF

After trading misses, Terrell Hollins ’10 scores the first basket on a driving lay up. Brandeis so far playing some swarming D though Baskauskas ties it up with Amherst’s first bucket.

With 15:40 left, Kevin Olson converts the rare 4 point play, hitting the three, drawing the foul and making the basket. Coming into action now for the Judges are Christian Yemga ’11, Rich Magee ’10, and Andre Roberson. Time out called by Amherst, Brandeis is ahead 8-4, one of the keys has been a bit of luck. The ball gets batted around and Brandeis grabs the rebound. After two such bounces following two shots, Yemga makes the three.

Andre Roberson picked up his second foul and will likely be out for quite a bit of this half. Florian Rexhepi ’08 is in and he turned it over. Meehan now playing a rather sturdy line up with each year represented. – 13-6 11:37 left – Brandeis has gone cold and Amherst is starting to creep back with Walters hitting a three thanks to some great ball movement. Joe Coppens though has snapped the cold streak with a nice cutter to the lane assisted by Hollins.

9 minutes left in the first half, Brandeis ahead 17-11.

Coppens is on tonight, making a long three. The Lord Jeffs though have been getting the offensive rebounds. 7:01, Fulgham makes a move to the basket but is blocked by Brandon Jones. Amherst succeeds in forcing the shot clock violation. Williams and number 40, Mike Holsey have been shutting off the inside and Brandeis is back to struggling again. Amherst though hasn’t much better on the offensive end themselves – of course I speak too soon as Walters’ basket cuts Brandeis’s lead to three but Kevin Olson ’09 gets the floating shot and forces the turnover. With a time out at the 4:13 mark, 22-17 Brandeis.

Following the time out, Kevin Olson makes a three, in response, Amherst’s Olson – Andrew picks up a traveling violation. Still, give one side too many chances, they will hurt you. Amherst got two offensive rebounds and got a three from Olson.

One minute left in the first half, Brandeis is up 27-22 but this game could go either way.

Steven Hill ends the half with a jumper at the foul line, half time score: Brandeis 29, Amherst 24.

HALF TIME: At half time, let’s look at the stats. Fletcher Walters is leading the way for the Lord Jeffs with 13 points and 5 rebounds. Walters and Mike Holsey also each have two of Amherst’s six blocks. Amherst shooting only 36.7%. Brandeis is lead by Kevin Olson with 11 points and Brandeis also has 11 offensive rebounds in the half. Brandeis shooting is even poorer than Amherst’s though at 34.3%.

For the next half, Brandeis needs to shut down Walters and at the same time, find a way to get the easy baskets as they cannot keep getting stuffed. One minute until second half action, stay tuned.

SECOND HALF: Right off the bat, Amherst and Brandeis each trade buckets. After several trade offs, Amherst ties up the score with an alley-lay up, 36-36. Roberson comes into the game and right away gets his 3rd foul. Brandeis looking sloppy but Amherst’s Brandeon Jones misses a wide open three. Seeing enough, Brandeis calls time out. 15:18 left in the game, 36-36 all.

Following the time out, Amherst takes the lead on Kevin Hopkins’ dunk and this followed with one by Brandon Jones. 40-36 Amherst. Kevin Olson misses the shot and Hopkins has another dunk. Meehan calls another time out, obviously unhappy with what he’s seeing as Amherst is tearing the Judges apart. 42-36 Amherst 13:30 in the game. The Lord Jeffs crowd has started getting into it.

Brandeis keeps trying to drive it inside. I question this strategy as Amherst keeps collapsing and blocking. As I write this, Coppens pulls up for a three but is too strong. The Lord Jeffs’ athleticism is starting to overwhelm the Judges defense and matters aren’t helped with Brandeis going absolutely cold on the floor. Meehan will look generate offense as guard Kenny Small ’10 will check in for Roberson. Brandeis now calls time out. 9:52 left in the game, Amherst with their largest lead of the game, 48-36. All those missed opportunities in the first half for Brandeis to expand their lead are coming back to haunt them big time.

Whatever Meehan said during the time out, it didn’t work. Amherst stole the inbounds pass and a foul by Rich Magee prevents the easy lay up. Out for Brandeis now at the 9:30 mark is Yemga, Small, Graves-Fulgham, Hollins and Magee. With eight minutes left, Hollins makes an amazing one-handed shot. Brandeis now down 49-38. Olson, Coppens and Hill are back on the court for Brandeis.

Terrell Hollins has missed four straight free throws. It will take a lot to come back and following Joe Coppens’ three with a basket and a foul for Amherst does not help. Especially when that foul is on Steven Hill who is now out of the game. The Brandeis crowd has fallen silent.

Joe Coppens hits a three and gets the steal as Brandeis moves to a full court press. He can’t get the lay up as Coach Meehan screams for a foul. Brandeis though gets the jump ball and cuts the lead to eight, 53-45.

2:12 left in the game, Brandeis trails 58-49, can they come back?

If this proves to be the last game of the 2007-08 Brandeis Judges, the culprit will be poor shooting as Olson misses a quick shot and Amherst draws the foul which places them at the line. So far, Amherst hasn’t faltered at the line and don’t do so now as Jones makes both shots. Ninety seconds left in the game and Brandeis starting to resort fouling Amherst. They have partial success as Goldsmith is 1-2. 61-49 Amherst.

Andre Roberson finishes his season at the 1:06 mark. Amherst makes one of two and with 48 seconds left, Rexhepi turns the ball over but they get possession back on the jump ball. Hollins makes a tip on the Olson miss with 37 seconds left and with the time out, Brandeis trails by nine, 62-53. On the floor for Brandeis now is Coppens, Magee, Graves-Fulgham, Yemga and Rexhepi. Correction, Hollins and Olson enter, Meehan rotating Hollins-Olson for offense, Magee-Yemga for defense. The Jury is absolutely silent, I hate to say it but unless Brandeis gets on a remarkable tear of steals followed by three’s, this game is over. With 19 seconds left, Coppens’ three wedges in the rim and Amherst will run the clock.

FINAL SCORE: Amherst 65, Brandeis 55. Amherst will go on to Salem and take on Coast Guard while Brandeis gets to leave with the Jury chanting “thank you seniors.” This concludes the live blog and Judges’ season. I’m Zachary Aronow, thank you very much.