MEDFORD, MA (January 28, 2023) -- Junior forward
Maggie Russell scored a game-high 26 points while sophomore forward
Caitlyn O'Boyle came off the bench to tally a career-high 16 points as the Tufts University women's basketball team swept the weekend with a 68-59 win over Middlebury College in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play from Cousens Gymnasium.
Russell registered her game-high on 9-of-17 shooting Saturday, adding a team-high seven rebounds in 38 minutes of action. O'Boyle was also huge for the Jumbos (14-6, 5-1 NESCAC) as she had a career-day, establishing new career-highs of 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting. O'Boyle also finished with seven rebounds and two steals, as she topped her previous scoring best of 10 points from earlier in the season against MIT.
The Jumbos led the entire first quarter, growing their lead up to as many as six points with 1:40 to go in the first stanza on a pair of free throws by Russell. After leading 21-16 after the first period, Tufts would continue to stay in front until a three-pointer from Brooke Collins gave the Panthers their first lead at 24-23 with 5:26 to go in the first half.
The two teams would exchange the lead six times over the final five minutes of the first half, as a three-pointer by
Joelle Zelony at the buzzer gave the Jumbos a 32-31 advantage going into halftime. The Panthers would came out of the locker room on fire, using a 9-0 run over 2:29 of the period to take a 40-33 lead as the spurt was fueled by seven points from Augusta Dixon. Middlebury shot 4-of-4 from the floor, taking its largest lead of the game with 6:08 left in the third quarter.
The Jumbos would answer Middlebury's 9-0 run with one of their own, as Russell poured in seven points to regain the lead at 42-40 with just over three minutes to go in the frame. The Panthers rallied back, using a three-pointer with 15 seconds to go in the third to lead 48-47 going to the fourth.
In the final session, the Jumbos would pull away as they shot 6-for-11 from the field (54.5 percent) while holding Middlebury to only three made baskets. Middlebury led 51-50 with eight minutes left, but another 9-0 stretch from Tufts gave it a 59-51 lead as Russell finished the run on a jumper with 4:28 to go. Tufts would push its lead up to as much as 10 late in the game on a couple of freebies from
Callie O'Brien to clinch the win.
Tufts shot 42.6 percent from the floor Saturday afternoon, while connecting on 18-of-27 (66.7 percent) from the free-throw line. Tufts held a huge edge in points off turnovers, converting 25 points off of 23 Panther miscues. Tufts also held a 12-5 edge in second chance points, while outscoring Middlebury 34-20 in the paint.
Sofia Gonzalez tallied eight points and four rebounds for the 'Bos, and O'Brien and Zelony each tallied seven points in the victory.
Middlebury (11-9, 3-4 NESCAC) was led by 17 points from Alexa Mustafaj, adding six helpers, and Dixon tallied 14 points and eight rebounds. Gabby Stuart also added 10 points off the bench for the Panthers.
Tufts will be off all week before traveling up to Maine next weekend to take on Colby College Friday evening in Waterville, Maine at 7 p.m. in more NESCAC play.
--JUMBOS--
