MEDFORD - Sophomore Danny Rainer (Marlborough, MA) tipped in the game-winner for Williams College with five seconds left in overtime to give the #13 Ephs a 61-59 win over the Tufts University Jumbos in a thrilling NESCAC women's basketball matchup on Saturday afternoon at Cousens Gym.
The game had been tied at 59 after senior Collen Hart (Needham, MA) buried a 17-foot jumper with 1:23 remaining in the overtime period. Each team then went empty on their next offensive possessions. Junior Jill Greenberg (Westwood, MA) missed a layup for Williams, but Rainer was there in traffic to tap it back in.
Hart had a chance at the buzzer, but missed a runner from the right of the lane as the clock expired.
Williams led by as many as nine points in the second half, 49-40, with 8:21 remaining. The Jumbos slowly battled back and got to within two points at 49-47 on a jumper by first-year Ali Rocchi (Fairfield, CT) at the 4:20 mark.
Greenberg pushed the lead back to six with two free throws with just 1:36 left before a Rocchi layup and a pair of three-pointers by Hart tied the game at 57 with 12 seconds remaining in regulation.
The Ephs had two chances to end the game in regulation, but Greenberg misfired on a shot in the lane, and then on a second chance opportunity sophomore Grace Rehnquist (Sharon, MA) missed a long jumper.
Williams opened the scoring in the extra session on a pair of free throws by sophomore Claire Baecher (Brunswick, ME). Hart's three ball at the 1:23 mark and Rainer's tip in were the final tallies of the contest.
Hart ended up leading all scorers with 18 points on eight of 18 shooting including two of four from three-point range. Two other Jumbos scored in double digits. Rocchi finished with 13, going a stellar six of nine from the field, and she also added a game-high eight rebounds. Junior Tiffany Kornegay (Carver, MA) checked in with 11 points.
The Ephs were led by Baecher's 15 points, going six of 10 from the field. Rainer finished with 12 points, including eight in the second half and overtime, while senior Taylor Shea (Allendale, NJ) added 14 for the Ephs.
Tufts shot 37.3% from the floor (25/67), but 21 Williams turnovers helped the Jumbos to 12 extra field-goal attempts. The Ephs were an excellent 47.3% (26/55). The rebounding battle was even at 36, and the game saw seven ties.
The Jumbos suffer just their second defeat of the year - their first in nine games - and fall to 10-2 and 1-1 in the NESCAC. Williams is now 15-1 and 2-0 in league play. Tufts returns to non-league play on Monday night with a home contest at 7 pm against Wheaton College. Williams will be home on Friday for a NESCAC game against Connecticut College at 8 pm
Game Statistics
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