BRUNSWICK, ME (February 4, 2023) -- Junior forward
Maggie Russell grabbed a career-high 21 rebounds and added 17 points while sophomore guard
Sofia Gonzalez scored 23 points as the Tufts University women's basketball team swept their Maine weekend road trip with a 66-54 win over Bowdoin College in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play from Morrell Gymnasium.
The Jumbos led the entire first quarter, as they led by as many as nine after junior guard
Hannah Kelly made a layup. The Polar Bears would cut into the lead before the period ended as Annie Boasberg hit a big three-pointer with 38 seconds left to make the Jumbo lead at five.
In the second quarter, the Jumbos would again get off to a fast start as they opened a 12-point lead before Bowdoin responded with a 17-9 run over the final seven minutes before halftime. The Polar Bears were led by Sela Kay who scored 10 of her 17 points in the quarter. A layup by Kay with a little less than four minutes left saw Bowdoin cut to the Jumbo lead to one before Tufts led by four at the break.
To start the third quarter, Bowdoin quickly took a one-point lead after a layup by Boasberg before
Callie O'Brien responded to give Tufts the lead back. Gonzalez scored eight of her 23 in the quarter as she was two of three from behind the three-point line. A Bowdoin three-pointer made it a one point came with 26 seconds left, but Gonzalez scored her second three-pointer in the quarter at the buzzer and gave the Jumbos a four-point lead heading into the final quarter.
In the final session, Russell led the way for the Jumbos as she scored nine points and pulled in nine rebounds. The defense for Tufts was key as they held Bowdoin to 3-of-20 shooting from the field. Russell scored the teams first six points of the quarter including a made basket and the foul to start the quarter that opened the Jumbo lead to seven. Over the one minutes and 13 seconds, the Jumbos were able to expand their lead to 12 as they went 8-of-10 from the free throw line to help put the Polar Bears away.
With the win, Tufts (16-6, 7-1 NESCAC) has won their fourth game in a row. The Jumbos shot 44.4 percent from the floor Saturday afternoon, while connecting on 20-of-28 (71.4 percent) from the free-throw line. Russell led the Jumbos from the free-throw line shooting 9-11 with sophomore guard
Annika Decker going a perfect 6-6.
Bowdoin (14-8, 3-5 NESCAC) was led by Kay who scored 17 points while Sydney Jones added 11 points. Boasberg, who is third in conference in steals, was a menace on the defensive end as she collected seven steals during the afternoon.
Tufts will be back home next week for alumni weekend as they take on Wesleyan College Friday evening in Cousens Gymnasium at 7 p.m. in more NESCAC play before hosting senior day against Trinity on Saturday afternoon.
--JUMBOS--
