COBLESKILL, NY (January 4, 2025) -- The Tufts University women's basketball team rallied late on the road at SUNY Cobleskill, but a late jumper at the buzzer to tie the game wouldn't go as the host Tigers knocked off the Jumbos 60-58 in non-conference action from Iorio Gymnasium Saturday afternoon.
The Jumbos (8-4) and Tigers traded leads back and forth during the early going of the game, but Cobleskill (12-2) surged ahead by 10 at 19-9 with 3:22 to go in the first quarter. Tufts went on an 8-0 run over the next three minutes, but would trail 21-17 after the first 10 minutes.
Tufts regained the lead at 22-21 three minutes into the second period, but SUNY Cobleskill charged ahead with a 14-2 run to take an 11-point edge with 1:22 to play in the first half. A bucket by junior
Annie Aspesi with 47 seconds left in the half stopped an eight-minute stretch without field goals for Tufts as the Jumbos trailed 35-26 at intermission.
The lead would swell up to as much as 14 early in the third quarter, but Tufts scored 13 of the next 17 points to make it a five-point deficit after sophomore
Annie Ryan connected on a jumper in the paint. SUNY Cobleskill built its lead up to 11 with seven minutes to play, but Tufts slowly started to chip away to make it a one-score game at 59-57.
The two teams traded free throws down the stretch, and Tufts forced a shot clock violation defensively to get the ball back with four seconds left. Out of a timeout the Jumbos got a decent look at a tying jumper from senior
Mikayla Paquette, but it wouldn't go as the Tigers held on for the win.
Cold shooting was the difference on Saturday for the Jumbos, who shot just 30.6 percent despite a hot first quarter where they made 53.3 percent on field goals.
Sofia Gonzalez led the team with 11 points, adding four rebounds and two steals, making a pair of triples.
Monet Witherspoon was in foul trouble for most of the game, but still tallied eight points on 4-of-6 shooting.
First-year
Claire Kolkhorst scored a career-high nine points in 18 minutes, adding four steals.
Annie Aspesi and Ryan each had seven points as well, and
Annika Decker finished with six points and five assists.
Cara Walker led SUNY Cobleskill with 19 points and seven rebounds.
Tufts takes on Skidmore College Sunday, January 5 at 1 p.m. in non-conference play in Saratoga Springs, NY.
--JUMBOS--
