Box Score Demorest, Georgia (December 4, 2022)—
Samantha Sousa stepped up big for the Jumbos as her free throw gave #11 ranked Tufts University Jumbos Women's Basketball Team a 79-78 victory over Piedmont University on Sunday afternoon.
Following a Tufts missed runner in the lane, Sousa was fouled as she was attempting to grab the offensive rebound. Tufts was in the bonus following the foul, which allowed Sousa to go to the free throw line for two shots. The first free attempt hit the back of the rim and didn't go, but her second free throw went in.
Tufts entered the fourth quarter with a seven-point lead, but the Lions went on an 11-4 run to tie the game with less than five minutes left in the game. After Ashley Scott and
Maggie Russell traded baskets, with less than one minute left, Nakiyah Washington was fouled attempting a jump shot. Washington made one of two free throws and tied the game at 78. Piedmont would call a timeout following Sousa making the second free throw to set up a play, but the Jumbo defense held strong and forced a bad shot to hold onto the victory.
The Lions started the game shooting 58 percent from the field along with making eight free throws to help open a seven-point lead. Lu Woolfolk scored six points and Ashley Scott added five points. In the second quarter, the Jumbos start to click on both ends of the floor. Tufts went on a 21-5 run to help to take a 49-46 lead at halftime. The Jumbos went into a full court press that allowed them to get easy buckets including a
Annika Decker steal with 10 seconds left that led to a
Callie O'Brien layup that gave them the three point lead.
Piedmont would not go away without a fight though as they tied the game in the third quarter, but Russell scored seven points in a row to help fuel a 9-0 run to regain the lead. The Jumbos would open a 10-point lead before Piedmont made it a seven point game going into the last quarter. The fourth quarter saw the two teams trade baskets and the game come down to the final seconds as the Jumbos held on for the road victory.
Russell scored 23 points with freshman
Sarah Crossett adding 22 points, with
Sofia Gonzalez coming off the bench to score 15 points including three three-pointers. Both Russell and Sousa each had seven rebounds and
Annika Decker added eight assists. Decker was a force on defense as she had six of the Jumbos 11 steals. Tufts shot 29-65 (44.6%) from the field.
Piedmont was led by Washington as she scored 25 points including scoring 13 free throws. Woolfolk added with 14 points along with Scott who scored 12. Washington had nine rebounds in the game as Piedmont grabbed 39 rebounds in the game. The Lions went 29-37 (78.4%) from the free throw line and 23-54 (42.6%) from the field.
Tufts (6-1) will next go on the road to MIT on Saturday December 10
th at 2:00 PM before hosting New York University on Sunday at 2:00 PM.
--JUMBOS--
