Box Score MEDFORD, Mass. – Junior forward Melissa Baptista of the No. 1 Tufts University women's basketball team went over the 20-point plateau for the third time this season, as she dropped a game-high 22 points, along with six rebounds, two blocks and two steals, as the Jumbos' posted a convincing 74-39 triumph over Trinity (Conn.) on Friday evening at Cousens Gym in Medford, Massachusetts.
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| Jacqueline Knapp totaled nine points on 3-for-4 shooting from the floor. |
Baptista continues to score efficiently for the Jumbos (21-0, 8-0 in NESCAC), as she went 10-for-15 from the field and 2-for-4 from beyond the arc in 21 minutes. The hosts' also received a well-rounded performance from junior captain and on-court general Lauren Dillon, as the Wellesley, Massachusetts, native tallied an 11-point performance and equaled a season high with seven helpers.
Freshman guard/forward Peace Kabari paced the Bantams (11-8, 2-5 in NESCAC) with a team-high 11 points and a team-leading five boards.
The Jumbos were ready to play tonight from the opening tip, as they reeled off a 15-2 run during the first 6:55 of the game. Senior captain and guard Josie Lee buried a 3-point shot, assisted by Dillon, with 4:59 left in the first, and then Baptista ended the spurt with five consecutive points, including connecting on a three-ball and a layup.
The story of the first half was the Jumbos' elite defensive effort and intensity, which resulted in the team only relinquishing seven first-quarter points and six second-quarter points, while the hosts' forced the visitors into 27 turnovers during the game. Lee (three steals), Dillon (two steals) and sophomore guard Jacqueline Knapp (nine points, three steals) provided strong on-ball defense, as the Jumbos' backcourt applied intense full-court pressure and did not let the visitors feel comfortable all night.
The Jumbos' took a 21-7 lead into the second, and then scored the first 20 points of the second quarter and held the visitors scoreless for the first 7:20 of the frame, as a layup by Dillon with 2:54 left gave the hosts a 41-7 lead.
The Jumbos claimed a 41-13 halftime advantage, and then outscored the visitors, 33-26, in the second half, to clinch the victory.
The Jumbos' shot 45.5 percent from the floor (30-for-66), 44.4 percent from the 3-point line (8-for-18) and 50.0 percent from the free-throw line (6-for-12), while the Bantams' went 13-for-43 from the field (30.2 percent), 3-for-8 from downtown (37.5 percent) and 10-for-14 from the line (71.4 percent).
The Jumbos' totaled 19 assists in the contest, as they continue to share the ball on the offensive end and find the open player. The Jumbos' have also been knocking down a great deal of 3-point attempts lately, helping spread the floor and allowing Baptista and senior captain Michela North to excel down on the post. Baptista and Knapp each hit a pair of 3-point shots, while Dillon, Lee, freshman guard Cailin Harrington and junior guard Jennie Mucciarone each hit a three-ball in the contest.
The Jumbos' received an impressive seven-minute spurt by freshman guard Alexis Hermes off the bench, as she scored two points and battled in traffic for a pair of rebounds. Mucciarone continues to bring energy off the bench, with a solid five-point and six-rebound performance in 16 minutes.
The Jumbos will welcome No. 2 Amherst (21-0, 7-0) to Cousens Gym on Saturday for a 3 p.m. NESCAC-Conference matchup.
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