PROVIDENCE, RI (November 10, 2023) -- The No. 4 Tufts University women's basketball team started the season with a huge test on the road Friday night at No. 5 Rhode Island College, but the Anchorwomen used a big second quarter in earning a 71-53 victory at the Murray Center in the 2023-24 season opener for both squads.
The Jumbos (0-1) started the contest well, as
Annika Decker hit a free throw with 6:49 to go in the opening stanza to make it 7-2. The Jumbos led for the rest of the first quarter, as
Sofia Gonzalez finished a layup with four seconds to go in the period to make it 15-10 after 10 minutes. The Jumbos continued to lead until Rhode Island College tied the game at 17 on a three-pointer from Madison Medbury with eight minutes remaining in the half. The momentum would stay with RIC through the end of the half, as they finished the stanza on a 16-4 run to take a 33-24 lead into the intermission.
After the break, the Tufts deficit hovered around 10 until late in the third quarter when the hosts finished the period on a 7-1 spurt to take a 18-point edge at 54-36 going to the fourth. The Anchorwomen would lead by as many as 25 in the game, cruising to the opening night win.
Senior
Maggie Russell finished with a team-high 18 points, going 4-of-14 from the floor while posting 10 makes on 13 free throw attempts. Russell also posted 11 rebounds to lead all players. Gonzalez finished 5-of-11 from the field on the night, making 3-of-8 from downtown en route to 14 points while also grabbing eight rebounds.
Senior
Callie O'Brien finished with nine points, and classmate
Samantha Sousa added six points and four rebounds. Sophomore
Sophia Davis posted seven rebounds as well, and fellow sophomore
Annie Aspesi scored her first collegiate points with a three-pointers.
Tufts was 16-of-51 (31.4 percent) from the floor on Friday evening, making 27.8 percent (5-18) from three-point land. The Jumbos were hampered by 22 turnovers on the evening.
RIC was paced by 15 points from Angelina Nardolillo, while Jeniyah Jones and Olivia Middleton each added 11 points. Madison Medbury and Isabelle Booth also added 10 points apiece in the win, as the Anchorwomen shot 43.8 percent for the evening.
The Jumbos are back at it on Sunday at home, taking on St. John Fisher College at 1 p.m. in more non-conference action in the 2023-24 home opener.
--JUMBOS--
