SPRINGFIELD, MA (December 31, 2024) -- The Tufts University women's basketball team held Ithaca College scoreless for over eight minutes of the fourth quarter, pulling away for a 57-42 win in the first day of action at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Enfield/Naismith Classic on the campus of Springfield College.
Tufts (7-3) led by 10 after three quarters, but the Bombers (3-4) pulled to within six quickly in the fourth frame with 8:28 to play in regulation. The Jumbos would put the clamps on defensively, forcing Ithaca into an 0-for-11 stretch over 8:14 of the final period.
During that scoreless stretch, Tufts posted an 11-0 run highlights by five points from senior
Sofia Gonzalez to led by as many as 17 points with under a minute to play in regulation.
Tufts never trailed in the contest, as MIkayla Paquette and
Monet Witherspoon were the spark offensively in the opening frame as Tufts led 19-10 after the first quarter. The Jumbos shot 50 percent in the first quarter.
In the second, Tufts continued to add to its lead as a free throw by Paquette with 1:11 to play in the first half gave the Jumbos a 32-19 lead at half. Ithaca got as close as seven in the third quarter, but Tufts was able to fend off the Bombers as it led for 39:14 of the 40 minutes on Tuesday.
Witherspoon equaled her career-high for the Jumbos, as she totaled 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting, adding three steals on the defensive end. Paquette started for the first time in 2024-25, and finished with nine points in 10 minutes, going 3-of-4 from both the free throw line and field.
Gonzalez added six points, a team-high seven boards and two steals, while
Annie Aspesi and
Sophia Davis each had nine points apiece off the bench.
Caitlyn O'Boyle also contributed five rebounds for the Jumbos, who won the rebounding battle, 36-30.
The big stat for the Jumbos on Tuesday was its ability to score off of turnovers, as Tufts turned 20 Ithaca turnovers into a 25-6 edge in that category. Tufts is now 5-0 all-time at the Naismith Classic, making its third appearance in the tournament.
Elizabeth Majka led the Bombers with 11 points in 12 minutes, while Annabella Yorio added 10 points. Ithaca shot 35.3 percent overall, making just one of its 14 shots (7.1 percent) from three-point land.
Tufts will play its first game of 2025 on Wednesday afternoon, taking on host Springfield College at 2:30 p.m. inside Blake Arena on the campus of Springfield.
--JUMBOS--
