Box Score LEWISTON, Maine – Senior Erica DeCandido scored 16 points and three other Jumbos scored in double-digits as the No. 1 Tufts women's basketball team picked up a 65-49 win over Bates on the road on Saturday afternoon.
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| Emily Briggs was one of four Jumbos with double-digit points |
The Jumbos improve to 18-0 overall and 4-0 in NESCAC games. Bates falls to 9-8 this year and 1-3 in conference games with the loss.
Sophomore Molly Ryan opened up scoring with a three and on their next possession the Jumbos got a layup from junior Emily Briggs to take an early 5-0 lead. After the two teams traded baskets, senior Erica DeCandido put the Jumbos ahead by seven with a couple of free throws. About halfway through the first quarter and down by seven the Bobcats started to chip away at the Jumbo lead. Mia Roy made a three with 5:21 left in the quarter and then followed that with a couple of free throws on the Bobcat's next possession to cut the lead to two.
The Jumbos answered with a layup from sophomore Sofia Rosa and then a couple of free throws from DeCandido pushed the lead back to six with 1:43 left in the quarter. DeCandido added a layup, but the Bobcats got a layup from Meghan Graff with 19 seconds left in the quarter to cut the lead to six, 19-13, at the end of the first.
In the second quarter the Jumbos were able to grow their lead. Ahead by six with 7:33 on the clock Ryan drained a three and then Rosa made a layup to push the lead to 11. After a Bobcat layup the Jumbo scored eight straight points thanks to a couple of layups from DeCanddio and one each from Ryan and Rosa. The Bobcats broke up the scoring with a jumper from Graff, but then Tufts got a layup from Briggs and a jumper from Rosa put them up 19 with 4:56 left in the quarter. Briggs added a couple free throws to push that lead to 21 with just over four minutes left until the break.
The Bates answered by scoring 12 consecutive points to cut that Jumbo lead to nine with 1:11 on the clock. But, the Jumbos got a three from freshman Maggie Russell and then another from downtown from Briggs. Then Rosa made one at the charity stripe and a couple of jumpers from Briggs put the Jumbos up 20, 57-37, at the half.
After a third quarter opening jumper from Briggs to put Jumbos ahead by 22, the Bobcats were able to get some things going offensively. Roy scored ten consecutive points coming from a couple of threes and a couple of jumpers to cut the lead to 12 about three minutes into the quarter. The Jumbos answered with a couple of free throws from senior Sadie Otley and then two more from DeCandido. A jumper from Rosa put them back ahead by 18 again with 2:43 left in the quarter. The Bobcats got a couple of free throws from Binkhorst to end the quarter and cut the Jumbo lead to 16.
The Jumbos were able to pick up the 65-49 win.
DeCandido finished with 16 points, nine rebounds, four assists and a couple of steals. Briggs added 15 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals. Ryan tallied 12 points, five rebounds and a couple of assist and steals. Rosa added 11 points off the bench, and collected six boards.
Roy finished with a game-high 22 points for the Bobcats. Graff added 11 points, three rebounds and four assists. Binkhorst turned in ten points and seven rebounds.
The Jumbos are back in action on Friday when they travel to Bowdoin for a 7 pm start. Bates plays again Friday as well with a 7 pm start with Colby.
