NORTHAMPTON, MA (January 23, 2023) -- The Tufts University women's basketball team pulled to within six points with 3:30 to play, but couldn't complete the comeback as the Jumbos dropped its final non-conference tilt of the season at No. 5 Smith College 70-60 in play from Ainsworth Gymnasium Monday evening.
The game started 30 minutes late due to travel complications with the snow in the Central Massachusetts region, but the battle of two of the top teams in the state was worth the wait. Smith (17-1) took an early 12-5 lead midway through the first quarter, but seven first-period points from Annika Decker pulled Tufts back to within three at 14-11 after 10 minutes.
Smith would push its lead back up to 13 points at 24-11 after a Morgan Morrison three-point play three minutes into the second quarter. Tufts would pull back to within single digits on three occasions before taking a 34-23 deficit into the halftime break.
After the halftime intermission the Pioneers led by 15 twice, the latest coming with nine minutes left in regulation at 50-35. Tufts would score the games next eight points, capped by a triple from Joelle Zelony to make it a seven-point game at 50-43 with seven minutes remaining.
The Pioneers responded by pushing their lead back up to 11, but a lay-up from junior Maggie Russell and a triple from Decker brought Tufts to within six. The Jumbos wouldn't get any closer though, as Smith clinched the game at the free throw line.
Decker would lead all scorers with a career-high 22 points, as she was 8-of-13 from the floor connecting on five of her seven shots from behind the three-point line. Decker also tallied three steals, three boards and four assists. Russell finished one rebound shy of a double-double with 16 points and nine caroms, while Zelony came off the bench to hit all but one of her shots en route to a career-high 10 points.
Tufts was 23-of-61 (37.7 percent) from the floor, connecting on nine of the 24 shots from behind the three-point arc.
Morrison led Smith with 21 poits and 12 rebounds, while Jessie Ruffner finished with 16 points and seven rebounds. Ally Yamada added 14 points and Amelia Clairmont posted 11 points in the victory for the Pioneers.
Tufts returns to New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play Friday night at 7 p.m. at home in Cousens Gymnasium, taking on Williams College.
--JUMBOS--
