Box Score MEDFORD – The No. 1 Tufts women's basketball team used a strong second half and 20 points from senior Erica DeCandido to pick up a 77-54 win over Middlebury on Friday night in Cousens Gym.
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| Molly Ryan scored all of her 13 points in the second half |
With the win the Jumbos improve to 23-0 overall and 9-0 in NESCAC play. Middlebury is 12-11 overall and 1-8 in NESCAC games after the setback.
The Panthers outscored the Jumbos in the first quarter, but the whole thing was a back-and-forth affair where neither team led by more than three. The two teams traded points to open play, but then Lily Kuntz put the Panthers ahead with a three. Senior Cailin Harrington cut the lead to one with a jumper, but the Panthers went up three again with a jumper from Betsy Knox. That's the way the entire quarter would go. Down by three, junior Emily Briggs made a jumper that brought the Jumbos within one, 15-14, and that ended the first quarter of play.
Down by three about three minutes into the second quarter senior Sadie Otley cut the deficit to one with a layup. Sophomore Sofia Rosa then put the Jumbos ahead with a jumper and Harrington sunk a three to put the Jumbos ahead four. But, the Panthers answered with a three from Kira Waldman and a jumper from Michaela Sullivan put the Panthers ahead one again, 24-23, with 3:16 to go.
Junior Erin Poindexter-McHan gave Tufts a two-point advantage with one from downtown. DeCandido then increased that lead to four with a layup with 1:58 to go till halftime. The Jumbos went up five thanks to another three from Poindexter-McHan with 46 seconds to go. But, the Panthers cut that lead to two with a three from Reagan McDonald with 31 seconds left in the quarter, and the Jumbos took a 31-29 lead into the break.
The Panthers quickly tied things at 31 with a layup from Knox to start the third quarter. They then grew a lead with a three from Kuntz and a jumper from Sullivan. Waldman made one of two at the line to put the Panthers up six, 37-31, about halfway through the third quarter.
Down by five with 2:44 to go in the quarter the Jumbos got something going. Sophomore Molly Ryan started it with a three and then she added a layup on the Jumbos next possession to tie things at 41 with 1:30 to in the third. DeCandido put the Jumbos ahead with a couple of free throws, and then Poindexter-McHan drained another three to push that lead to five, 46-41, with less than a minute to go in the quarter. The Jumbos were ahead 48-42 at the end of three.
Ryan opened the fourth with a couple of free throws and then layup to put the Jumbos ahead ten, 52-42. Briggs added a layup to increase the lead to 12 and then Ryan added another three to put the Jumbos ahead 15 with 6:29 left in the game. A three from Kuntz brought the Panthers within ten with 4:31 to go, but that's as close as they would get. The Jumbos outscored the Panthers 16-3 in the final 4:31 to pick up the 77-54 win.
The Jumbos ended up outscoring the Panthers 46-25 in the second two quarters after leading by just one at the half. DeCandido led the offense with 20 points and seven rebounds, along with three assists. Ryan finished with 13 points, all in the second half, and she also added nine rebounds and four assists. Otley and Poindexter-McHan each added nine points and Poindexter-McHan also tallied five assists. Rosa finished with eight points and seven rebounds.
For the Panthers Knox and Kuntz led the offensive efforts with 12 points each. Waldman totaled nine points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. Claire Miller and Maya Davis each added six points, and Miller finished with nine rebounds as well.
The Jumbos wrap up their regular season schedule when they host Williams for a 3 pm start on Saturday. Middlebury plays again on Saturday as they visit Bates with a 3 pm tip off.
