Box Score MEDFORD, Mass. – Junior captain and point guard Lauren Dillon showcased her versatility on the basketball court for the No. 1 Tufts University women's basketball team during a 46-43 triumph over No. 17 Bowdoin on Friday evening in Medford, Massachusetts, as the on-court general totaled 11 points, six steals, five rebounds and three assists in 36 minutes of action in the NESCAC Conference season opener for both squads.
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| Melissa Baptista gave the hosts the lead for good on a 3-pointer with 2:04 left. |
The Jumbos (11-0, 1-0 in NESCAC) were only leading by four points heading into the fourth quarter, but Dillon rose to the occasion, scoring six of the Jumbos' 12 points in the final frame. The hosts also received noteworthy performances from junior forward Melissa Baptista (nine points, six rebounds) and senior captain Michela North (seven points, five rebounds).
The Polar Bears (10-2, 0-1 in NESCAC) were led by sophomore guard Abigail Kelly, who scored a game-high 21 points on 6-for-13 shooting from the field, including going 5-for-9 from 3-point range. The sharpshooter from Bombay, New York, went 3-for-3 from beyond the arc in the first half, en route to scoring 13 points in 10 minutes of action. The visitors also received an eight-point, seven-rebound effort from senior forward Ally Silfen.
The two teams applied a great deal of defensive pressure, as the teams combined for 52 turnovers, with the Bears committing 30 and the Jumbos being guilty of 22.
The Bears' full-court press gave the Jumbos some trouble, as the squad was staring at a five-point deficit, 40-35, with 6:22 remaining, and then Dillon buried a 3-pointer off a tremendous pass out of the post from North with 4:52 remaining. A pair of made free throws by Kelly extending the Bears' advantage to 42-39 with 3:35 left, and then the Jumbos even the scored, 42-42, on a pair of made free throws from Dillon with 2:53 left.
Baptista converted a 3-pointer with a defender right up on her with 2:04 left, giving the Jumbos the lead for good, 45-42. The Jumbos held on for a 46-43 victory, as a desperation half-court shot by sophomore guard Taylor Choate of the Bears was off the mark at the buzzer.
This matchup was a highly-anticipated one, as both squads are currently ranked nationally, as the Bears jumped out to an early 5-0 lead on back-to-back made foul shots by senior guard Marle Curle. The visitors took a nine-point lead, 17-8, with 1:51 left in the first on a 3-pointer by junior guard Lauren Petit.
The Jumbos' embarked on a crucial 7-0 run during the final 1:50 of the first half, as freshman guard Sadie Otley made a 3-point shot off the backboard with four seconds left, evening the score, 25-25, heading into intermission.
Senior captain and guard Josie Lee found the bottom of the net from downtown 39 seconds into the second half, and then Baptista converted a free-throw attempt with 7:20 left, giving the Jumbos a 29-25 lead. The hosts kept the visitors off the scoreboard for the first 5:23 of the third quarter, as the Jumbos took a 34-30 advantage into the fourth.
The Bears won the fourth, 13-12, including putting the pressure on the Jumbos by claiming a 40-35 advantage on a jumper by Silfen with 6:22 left. The Jumbos answered the bell, finishing the game on an 11-3 run.
The Jumbos will take on another conference opponent on Saturday in Colby, as the two teams will square off at 1 p.m. in Medford, Massachusetts.
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