Box Score HOBOKEN, N.J. – The No. 1 Tufts women's basketball team used a strong third quarter to erase a seven-point halftime deficit and held off Christopher Newport for a 70-65 win at the Stevens Holiday Tournament. The Jumbos were led by 19 points from senior Erica DeCandido.
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| Molly Ryan sunk the three that gave the Jumbos a lead again in the third quarter |
With the win Tufts is now 9-0 this season. After the setback, Christopher Newport falls to 8-4 this year.
The Jumbos opened up the third quarter by cutting the Captains' seven-point halftime lead to four thanks to a three from senior Cailin Harrington. The two teams traded baskets and then a couple of free throws from Harrington cut the lead to two, 43-41, with 7:22 left in the quarter. About a minute later junior Molly Ryan drained a three that put the Jumbos ahead by one, 44-43. The Jumbos forced a turnover on the next Captain possession and a layup from Erica DeCandido put the Jumbos ahead by three, 46-43, with just over six minutes remaining in the third period. The two teams traded points, and the Jumbos grew their lead to as many as six in the quarter, but took a 52-49 lead into the final quarter.
The two teams traded baskets for the first half of the fourth quarter. Down by six with 4:03 left in the game, the Captains got a three from Kiana Kirkland. She followed that with a couple of made free throws about 40 seconds later to cut the Jumbo lead to one, 60-59. But, that would be as close as the Captains would get. A layup from Harrington put the Jumbos ahead by three again with 3:03 left in the game. Tufts used some strong defense, and grew that lead to as many as eight in the final minutes. They ended up with a five-point win.
The game started with the Jumbos taking the lead. After the two teams traded points to open up play the Jumbos got jumpers from junior Emily Briggs and DeCandido. A layup and the made free throw after from Hobbs helped the Captains cut the lead to one, 6-5, about three minutes into play. After the two teams each turned in baskets, a jumper from Kirkland put the Captains ahead by one with 4:12 left in the first quarter. In the final two minutes of the first quarter the Captains grew their lead to as many as seven, and were ahead by five, 17-12, after the first quarter.
Each team made a three to start the second quarter. Anaya Simmons made two free throws that put the Captains ahead by seven, but the Jumbos answered with back-to-back layups from sophomore Angela Alibrandi to cut the lead to three, 22-19, about three minutes into the second quarter. After the Christopher Newport made a layup of their own, a three from Ryan cut the lead to two, 24-22, about halfway through the quarter. But, the Captains scored seven unanswered to increase their lead to nine. They would lead by as many as ten in the second quarter, and took a 41-34 lead into halftime.
Harrington was a critical part of the Jumbo comeback that started at the beginning of the third quarter and she finished with ten points and five rebounds. Ryan, who made the three that gave the Jumbos back the lead in the third quarter, finished the game with 15 points and four rebounds. DeCandido led all scorers with 19 points and she added three rebounds and three assists. Senior Sadie Otley added seven points, six rebounds and five assists. Briggs finished with eight points, three rebounds and a couple of assists.
Fan led the Captains with 13 points and five rebounds. Kirkland helped with ten points and Simmons also finished with ten points while adding three rebounds. Hodges helped with nine points and nine rebounds, and Norman finished with eight points and four boards.
The Jumbos take on TCNJ at 3 pm on Sunday to wrap up play in the Stevens Holiday Tournament. Christopher Newport is also in action on Sunday as they take on host Stevens at 1 pm.
