Box Score Recap courtesy of Bowdoin College
BRUNSWICK, Maine - The Tufts University Women's Basketball team survived a late Bowdoin rally to take a 53-50 win in a battle of nationally-ranked teams Friday at Morrell Gymnasium. The game was the NESCAC oepner for both squads.
The 14th-ranked Jumbos avenge an early season non-conference loss to Bowdoin and improve to 10-2 (1-0 NESCAC). The 22nd-ranked Polar Bears saw their eight-game winning streak snapped as they drop to 9-3 on the year.
The Jumbos never trailed, holding a 16-7 edge after one period and entering halftime with a 25-20 advantage. Both teams battled through foul trouble throughout the opening half as the squads were called for a combined 21 fouls in 20 minutes of game play.
The game remained close through the third quarter into the fourth, where Tufts opened the period on a 8-2 surge, thanks to seven consecutive points from Maura Folliard, to take a commanding 49-36 edge with 7:28 to go.
Bowdoin began to chip away by feeding Shannon Brady, who had been sidelined with foul trouble, as the senior scored six straight points to spark a 12-0 Polar Bear run that closed the gap to 49-48 with 3:18 remaining. Michela North and Brady traded buckets as Tufts entered the final two minutes with a 51-50 lead.
Bowdoin had two chances to take the lead following defensive stops, but a turnover and missed three-pointer maintained the Tufts lead.
Senior tri-captain Emma Roberson had a chance to seal the game at the free throw line for Tufts with 21 seconds to go, but missed both chances. The Jumbos managed to grab the offensive board however, and Roberson made the most of her second chance, hitting two from the charity stripe to make it 53-50.
Bowdoin missed a last chance three-pointer that would have tied the contest as Tufts walked away with the win.
Neither team shot extraordinarily well, as Bowdoin connected on 38 percent to Tufts' 32 percent. The Jumbos hit four three-pointers compared to just one for the Polar Bears.
Brady finished with a game-high 16 points for Bowdoin with six rebounds before fouling out. Marle Curle had 14 points for Bowdoin while Kate Kerrigan added nine points, six rebounds and four steals.
Tufts was led by 13 points each from Roberson and North, who also had a game-high 13 caroms. The Jumbos also received 10 big points off the bench from Folliard. The Jumbos controlled the boards, owning a 43-32 edge on the glass, and converting 11 second-chance points off 16 offensive rebounds.
The teams were called for 41 combined fouls with Tufts going 11-17 from the line and Bowdoin connecting on 10-12
The teams will both be back in action Saturday afternoon as the Polar Bears host Bates (3:00 pm) and the Jumbos travel to Colby (3:00 pm).
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