CLAREMONT, CA (December 30, 2023) -- The No. 21 Tufts University women's basketball shot 50 percent from behind the three-point line Saturday afternoon at Pomona-Pitzer, making 10 triples en route to an 85-62 win over the host Sagehens in action from Voelkel Gymnasium.
The Jumbos came out hot from behind the three-point arc, making their first four in the first quarter as part of a frame that saw Tufts (8-3) make 10 of its 12 field goals overall. Tufts finished 10-of-20 from deep on the game, while making a season-best 52.6 percent of its field goals overall in the victory.
The first quarter was back-and-forth before a 9-0 run capped by a three-pointer from sophomore
Annie Aspesi made the score 15-8 for the Jumbos. The lead got as high as nine in the first quarter, as another triple from Aspesi gave Tufts a 26-18 lead going into the second quarter. Early in the second stanza, Tufts went on a 15-0 run which included two three-pointers by junior
Sofia Gonzalez to take a 40-21 edge with 4:17 to go in the half. The Jumbos would end up taking a 17-point lead into the locker room at 42-25 after 20 minutes.
In the third quarter, Pomona-Pitzer (2-9) trimmed the Tufts' lead down to 10 with 1:51 to go after a pair of Abigail Homan free throws but four quick points at the end of the frame gave Tufts a 14-point lead going to the fourth. The Jumbos would continue to hold a double-digit lead throughout the fourth quarter, pulling away late for the 23-point victory.
Senior forward
Maggie Russell finished with a game-high of 22 points, adding 14 rebounds while going 8-of-11 overall from the floor. Gonzalez tallied a season-high 19 points, making 5-of-10 from three-point land.
Senior
Samantha Sousa tallied 12 points, five assists and two steals in 29 minutes of action, while Aspesi scored double figures for the first time as a Jumbo with 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting including 3-of-4 from three-point range. Junior
Annika Decker didn't score, but had a very productive game with seven assists in 34 minutes, and
Mikayla Paquette and
Sarah Crossett each tallied four points in limited action off the bench.
Tufts out-rebounded Pomona-Pitzer 34-18, dominating the paint 36-16 in the victory. The 18 rebounds allowed by the Jumbos is the fewest by an opponent since Tufts allowed 18 to Bridgewater State December 4, 2018.
Homan led PP with 21 points for the hosts, and Katie Drais and Emily Lee added 13 and 11 points, respectively.
The Jumbos will open the New Year in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) action, heading to New London, Connecticut to take on Connecticut College Friday, January 5 at 7 p.m.
--JUMBOS--
