WALTHAM, MA – The Brandeis University women's basketball team jumped out to a 16-2 lead and never looked back, leading wire-to-wire as the Judges defeated Mount Saint Mary College, 79-52, in the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament. Brandeis improved to 19-9 overall and moved on to face Muhlenberg in the round of sixteen. The Blue Knights finish their season at 24-5.

Brandeis connected on their first six shots of the game and jumped out to a 16-2 lead in the first five minutes. Meanwhile, the Blue Knights missed seven of their first eight attempts from the floor. Sophomore Diana Cincotta (West Boylston, Mass.) and junior Jessica Chapin (Mendon, N.Y.) each had five points in the opening run. Mount Saint Mary junior Shannon Sangster (Syracuse, N.Y.) stopped the run with a layup at the 14:15 mark, but enough damage had already been done. The Blue Knights never got closer than thirteen points for the rest of the way.

With the early fourteen point deficit, the Blue Knights turned to the three-pointer in an attempt to catch up. Unfortunately, the Mount shot just 3-for-22 from three point range during the contest. Brandeis, on the other hand, continued to hit big shot after big shot, connecting on a season-best eleven three pointers. The Judges shot 55-percent from behind the arc.

Chapin led the Judges with 18 points while dishing out a game-high 7 assists. Freshman Kelly Ethier (Springfield, Mass.) came off the bench to contribute 13 points while freshman Morgan Kendrew (Cotuit, Mass.) connected three times from three-point range and finished with 12 points. The Judges shot 55.3-percent from the field against the Blue Knights and out-rebounded them, 37-29.

Mount Saint Mary junior Chrissy Zrowka (Brick, N.J.) led the Blue Knights with 13 points. Junior Meredith Paggi (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) chipped in with 11 points and Sangster finished with 10. Senior LaSheila Augustin (Valley Stream, N.Y.) tallied 8 points and a team-high 7 rebounds. The Blue Knights shot just 34.5-percent from the field and 13.6-percent from three-point range.

The Blue Knights close their season at 24-5, marking the eighth consecutive season that they have reached twenty wins. The Mount also captured their tenth straight Skyline Conference championship and their tenth straight bid to the NCAA Tournament. It was the second year in a row that the Blue Knights advanced to the second round.