Box Score WATERVILLE, Maine – The top-ranked Tufts University women's basketball team improved to 20-0 with a 58-36 NESCAC victory at Colby College on Saturday afternoon.
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| Emily Briggs averaged 18.5 points in Tufts' wins at Colby and Bowdoin this weekend. |
The 20-game winning streak to start the season is the longest for the Jumbos since they were 21-0 in in 2013-14. Tufts will host Trinity and Connecticut College at Cousens Gymansium next weekend (Feb. 7-8) with a chance to tie the program's all-time winning streak record of 22 games established by the 2012-13 and 2014-15 teams.
The Jumbos (6-0 NESCAC) were led today by 14 points apiece from sophomore Molly Ryan and junior Emily Briggs. Ryan was good on four of her seven three-point attempts. Colby (7-12, 2-5 NESCAC) received 10 points and seven boards from senior Jane MacKerron.
Unlike Friday night when the Jumbos defeated #2 Bowdoin College in a shoot-out, 97-88, defense returned as the Tufts signature in today's win. The Jumbos allowed just 12 first-half points to the Mules while building a 12-point advantage at intermission (24-12). The 36 points allowed to Colby overall was the fewest by Tufts in a conference contest this season, and the Jumbos held the Mules to 25-percent shooting (13/52).
Ryan started the game off with a three-pointer, and that would be nearly half of the total points scored in the first as Tufts led just 5-2 after 10 minutes. A three-pointer by senior Paige Russell pulled Colby within 8-7 two minutes into the second period. However, Tufts went on a 12-0 run from there to lead 20-7. Two threes by Ryan and four points from senior co-captain Erica DeCandido highlighted the Tufts stretch. Colby went 4:42 of game time without scoring until Carly Christofori hit a lay-up with 3:11 remaining until halftime making it 20-9.
Entering the second half down 24-12, Colby scored the first two baskets by MacKerron to close within 24-16. However, the Jumbos were able to push their advantage to 16 (35-19) on the second of back-to-back lay-ups by sophomore Sofia Rosa at the 4:13 mark of the third. The teams went back and forth over the rest of the frame and the Jumbos led 41-25 heading into the fourth.
Tufts pulled away in the fourth quarter, scoring the first nine points of the period to lead by 25 (50-25) on a jumper by Briggs at 7:12. The margin reached as high as 28 points (56-28) on a three by senior Cailin Harrington with 4:39 remaining in regulation.
Rosa finished with eight points and four rebounds in 13 minutes off the bench for Tufts. The Jumbos had 18 assists on their 23 baskets, led by four by DeCandido. Five rebounds by Harrington and Ryan led the Jumbos, while Harrington added three steals. The Jumbos had 10 turnovers and finished the weekend with just 18 in two games (eight at Bowdoin).
Colby's Christofori scored seven points and had five rebounds. Freshman Brooke Guiffre had three steals to go with five points for the hosts, while Russell added seven rebounds.
The Mules are off until next Friday at Hamilton (7 pm).
