Box Score 
BIDDEFORD, Maine – The Tufts University women's basketball team moved to 3-0 to start the 2021-22 season, defeating the University of New England Nor'Easters by a score of 60-42 on Tuesday night.
Senior Molly Ryan and graduate student Angela Alibrandi (pictured) led the team in points, both scoring 14. Ryan finished with three rebounds and five assists, while Alibrandi shot 50 percent from the floor (7/14) with five rebounds and three assists. Sophomore Maggie Russell produced offensively with nine points and three assists, and continued her defensive success with 13 rebounds, 11 of those being defensive rebounds, for her third consecutive double-digit rebound game.
The game started out tight, with both teams going back-and-forth. With about four minutes left in the first quarter, Tufts had just a one-point lead as the score read 8-7. This was the beginning of a 13-point run for the Jumbos, ignited by a Ryan three-pointer that gave her five of the team's first 11 points. With the score at 21-7 after the Jumbos' run, the Nor'Easters finished off the first quarter with a Jordyn Franzen jumper and a three pointer from senior guard Abby Cavallaro to cut the Tufts lead to nine.
Tufts started to pull away in the second quarter, outscoring the University of New England 17-6. There was not a score in the quarter until over three minutes in when Alibrandi scored six consecutive points. She would finish the first half with 12 second-quarter points, helping stretch the Jumbos' lead and finish the half with a score of 38-18.
The two teams traded baskets to start the third quarter until a 12-point run from Tufts with just under seven minutes left in the third made the score 54-22. The 32-point lead was the largest of the night for the Jumbos. The Nor'Easters responded by outscoring Tufts 10-4 to finish off the quarter. Russell had five points and six boards in the frame for Tufts.
The Jumbos would only score four points in the fourth quarter and held the University of New England to 10. Those 10 points came consecutively, with sophomore Jordyn Franzen scoring six off two jumpers and a layup. Russell scored the final points for Tufts on a jumper with 1:28 left in the game, leading to the 18-point victory.
Next, the Jumbos will play their first home game of the season on Saturday, November 20 at 1 PM in Cousens Gymnasium.
Written by Tim O'Brien, Athletic Communications Intern
