Sections

Hey all! This is Pat Garofalo with The Brandeis Hoot, courtside for the first round NCAA Tournament matchup between Brandeis and Lasell! The teams are warming up, and we’ll be providing live updates all the way through the final whistle.

Four minutes to tip, and the Judges were just roundly booed by the Lasell crowd.

Starting for Brandeis: Terrel Hollins, Joe Coppens, Kwame Graves-Fulgham, Stephen Hill, Kevin Olson

Starting for Lasell: Brad Caravoulas, Jamie Crawford, Jose Guitian Jr., Corey Godfrey, Dwayne Powell

Judges win the tip, and we’re off!

Olson hits a three to start the scoring. Lasell answers with a big dunk. 3-2 ‘Deis

Two straight buckets for Lasell, two straight missed layups for the Judges. 6-3 Lasell

Brandeis is having a hard time hitting shots, with two more misses. 8-3 Lasell

Hollins hits a layup to stop the bleeding. 8-5 Lasell

‘Deis on a nice little run, with Coppens hitting a jumper. Lasell going cold from outside. 11-8 Brandeis

All square, after a three from Lasell. 11-11

After a bad start, the Judges are figuring out their defense. A big steal and a layup from Coppens make it 15-11 Brandeis.

The Lasell shooters have gone very cold. Magee pulls down the rebound, hits Rexhepi, and it’s 17-11 Brandeis.

Some fancy passing from the Judges, answered by a big dunk from Lasell, and it’s 23-17 Brandeis.

Hollins can’t get his shot to fall, and misses his free throws. Lasell can’t answer though, and Brandeis goes down and scores to take a 30-20 lead.

The teams trade threes. 33-25 Brandeis.

Rexhepi makes a great pass to Hollins for the basket and the foul. Hollins can’t complete the three point play, but Coppens comes down with the rebound and then misses a three. 35-27 Brandeis leads.

Magee from Yemga, answered by Lasell. 39-31 Judges on top with 2:21 left in the half.

With 1:40 to play, Lasell turns a broken play into a three, but ‘Deis keeps scoring. 43-34 Judges.

A flurry of shots at the end of the half, but none fall. It’s 43-34 Judges at the break.

Hollins is leading the Judges with 12 points on 6 of 9 shooting. Coppens had six to go with five rebounds, and Rexhepi had eight points of his own. ‘Deis shot 57.6 percent for the half, which is a fantastic number given the slow start.

Crawford had 11 points for Lasell, along with four rebounds. Godfrey added eight, and Guitian put in six. The Lasers shot 44.1 percent for the half, with 40 percent from behind the arc.

At the free throw line, the Judges hit 50 percent. The Lasers, meanwhile, did not have a single basket from the line.

Second half

And we are underway with the second half. Lasell hits first, to cut the lead to 43-36.

Lasell takes it down the court, and hits with a foul. The Lasers complete the three point play, and it’s 43-39, Brandeis ahead.

Stephen Hill gets the first basket of the half for the Judges, and adds a free throw. 46-39 Judges with 17:27 still to play.

The teams are trading baskets, until Coppens hits a three. 51-43 Judges

Yemga makes a big steal off an inbounds pass, and Coppens lays it in on the break. Lasell answers with a bucket of its own, and the score moves to 53-45 Brandeis with 14:40 left in the game.

Time-out with 13:39 left in the half. 55-45 Brandeis leads. The Lasell cheerleaders come onto the court to a chorus of boos from the Jury.

Roberson wins a loose ball, and Olson capitalizes with a three. 58-45 Brandeis, with 11:30 to play.

Time-out Brandeis. It’s 58-47 Judges.

Hollins tips in an Olson miss, and Andy Meyers successfully catches it on video. Check out The Hoot later to see it! 60-47 Judges on top with 10:30 left in the game.

Graves-Fulgham hits Rexhepi with an outlet pass, and it’s 62-47 Brandeis.

Lasell calls a time-out, after Guitian goes down injured. He walked off under his own power.

Guitian comes back onto the court. It’s still 62-47, with 8:10 to play.

Rexhepi continues his strong game with a layup. Time-out Lasell with seven and a half minutes left. 64-49 Brandeis leads.

Rexhepi adds a three to make it 67-50 ‘Deis, with just over five minutes left in the game.

Rexhepi again! This time a layup, and it’s 69-50, Brandeis on top. Time-out Lasell with 4:40 left on the clock.

And yet another basket from Rexhepi! He’s been dominating for the last five minutes. ‘Deis opens up a 21 point lead, 71-50.

Hill adds a bucket and Lasell answers. 73-54 ‘Deis with 3:07 still to play.

We just got asked who we want to interview after the game. I love having a press pass.

The teams trade baskets, to make it 75-57 ‘Deis.

Hill for three, and Brandeis is up 78-57. Chants of “hey-hey-hey-goodbye” are coming from the Jury.

81-59 Brandeis with 27 seconds left. The Lasell crowd has gone quiet.

Our photo editor, Napoleon Lherisson makes it into the game for the Judges!!!

And that is the game! Brandeis wins it 80-59!!

Check back here for Andy Meyers’ post-game coverage. Thanks for reading The Hoot.