MEDFORD, MA (January 31, 2025) -- The Tufts University women's basketball team forced 31 Wesleyan University turnovers Friday night, making a season-high 32 field goals to roll past the visiting Cardinals 76-42 in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play from Cousens Gymnasium.
The Jumbos have now won four straight to improve to 13-6 overall, while the win streak has come all in conference play. Tufts has now won all but one match-up with Wesleyan dating back to 2007, and has not lost to the Cardinals in Medford since 2005.
The game was rarely in doubt on Friday night, as Tufts scored 14 of the game's first 16 points over the first 3:16 to take a early double-digit lead. During the opening span, Tufts forced six turnovers, while sophomore
Stella Galanes and senior
Sofia Gonzalez each had five points in the run. Wesleyan trimmed its deficit down to seven at 14-7, but the Jumbos quickly regained a double-digit lead with it would take into the second quarter at 22-12.
The second quarter would go much like the first, as 10 giveaways in the frame for the Cardinals ended with the Jumbos outscoring their visitors 18-7 in the period. Gonzalez tacked on another seven in the stanza, adding three steals. Tufts also shot 40 percent from three (4-10) in the second to take a 40-19 lead into the break.
Tufts continued to pour it on in the second half, leading by as many as 35 points late in the fourth quarter which was punctuated with a no-look assist from
Sophia Davis to
Mikayla Paquette to put a bow on the win.
On the night, 12 Tufts' players found the score sheet, led by Gonzalez and her game-high 24 points on 10-of-15 shooting. Gonzalez has now scored in double-figures in three straight games, finishing just one point shy of her career-high Friday. She also added three rebounds, two assists and five steals. Galanes continued her breakout with 14 points, four assists and four steals, making 6-of-9 on field goals, and
Annie Ryan tallied six points and three boards off the bench.
Senior
Annika Decker did not score on Friday night, but still totaled eight steals, the most in a game for Tufts since Gonzalez had nine last year against Wesleyan. It was the most of any player in a game in the NESCAC this season.
Tufts shot 48.5 percent (32-66) from the floor on Friday, best by the Jumbos this year. Tufts posted a 28-6 points off turnover edge, while also finishing with a 22-2 fast break advantage.
Tori DaCosta had 11 points and 13 rebounds for the Cardinals (7-12, 1-5 NESCAC).
The Jumbos (13-6, 4-2 NESCAC) will celebrate Senior Day on Saturday, hosting Trinity College at 3 p.m. in Cousens Gymnasium in more NESCAC play.
--JUMBOS--
