Rochester Wins Battle of 1 vs. 2

Jeff Juron and Rob Dominiak combined for nine points in the last minute as Rochester held off Brandeis, 74-68, in a battle of the nation’s top two teams at the Palestra.

Mike Chmielowiec led the Yellowjackets with 14 points, Dominak added 12 points, and Juron scored 10 and had a season’s high nine assists. Kevin Olson led the Judges with 16 points followed by Andre Roberson with 14 and Joe Coppens with 10. Rochester improved to 14-0 overall and 3-0 in the University Athletic Association.

Brandeis is 12-2 and 2-1 in the UAA. The Yellowjackets are tied for first place with Washington University. Brandeis’ two losses have come against the only unbeaten teams ranked in the D3hoops.com poll – both on the road. The Judges lost in overtime to UMass-Dartmouth, then defeated top-ranked Amherst two days later.

Brandeis got off to an early seven point lead in the first half. Rochester came back as Dominiak scored eight points in 11 minutes to put the Yellowjackets up by eight at halftime. The Judges came out strong in the second half. They cut the deficit down to three twice, and pulled within one, 49-48, on Andre Roberson’s layup with 12:23 to play. Rochester answered with a 9-3 run, sparked by three free throws from Chmielowiec and a three-point goal by Mike Labanowski, his third of the afternoon. It put the Yellowjackets ahead by eight, 58-50, with 8:52 left. The lead grew to 10 with 2:41 left (63-53) but a jumper and three-point goal by Roberson and a three-point goal from Coppens got Brandeis with two with just over a minute to play. Juron broke pressure, dribbled down the left sideline, and made a layup. He was fouled by Stephen Hill and made the free throw for a 68-63 lead with 57 seconds left. A jumper and free throw by Roberson got Brandeis to within two again with 32 seconds left. Juron made two free throws and Dominiak sank four (those in the last 10 seconds) to wrap up the victory.