The New York University men's basketball team fell to rival Brandeis University by a score of 80-69 in both teams' University Athletic Association (UAA) opener on Saturday, January 7 in Waltham, MA. 

Brandeis (4-6) scored the first seven points of the game and raced out to a 15-2 lead. NYU (5-6) pulled within nine, 22-13, on Cameron Moore's jumper with 9:45 left in the half. However, the Judges, who connected on 10 three-pointers in the half, went up by as many as 20 before settling for a 47-30 lead at intermission. 

"We knew going into UAA play that the competition was going to ramp up a little bit," said Assistant Coach Taylor Roth. "Brandeis is a good team. Very talented. It is about what we expected."

After the Judges increased their lead to 21 points early in the second half, the Violets launched a spirited comeback. Ross Udine's three-pointer with 13:20 left in the game culminated a 19-6 NYU run as the Violets pulled to within 57-49.

However, Brandeis scored the next four points and NYU never got within double-digits again.

"I'm proud of our effort and how hard we played, especially in the second half," Roth added. "That's something to build on going forward"

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

- Udine and Moore each scored a team-high 13 points. Udine also contributed five assists.

- Jimmy Martinelli registered 11 points and 11 boards for the fifth double-double of his freshman campaign.

- Both teams shot 50 percent from behind the arc. NYU made eight threes to Brandeis' 12.

"We just have to keep competing," Roth concluded. "The wins will come. We just have to keep working hard everyday in practice, stay focused, stay together and we'll be fine."

NYU returns home to the Sportsplex to face off against the Case Western Reserve University Spartans on Friday, September 13. Tipoff is scheduled for 8:00 pm.