WILLIAMSTOWN - The unranked Tufts women's basketball team opened some eyes by beginning its 2011-12 NESCAC season with a 63-40 victory at #12 Williams College on Friday night. The Jumbos held the Ephs to 21.1 percent (12/57) shooting.
Senior guard Tiffany Kornegay (Carver, MA) totaled 13 points, eight rebounds, three steals and two assists for the Jumbos, who won their 10th consecutive game and improved to 10-2. Previously unbeaten Williams (11-1) was led by 11 points and 10 rebounds from Claire Baecher.
After the teams traded the first couple hoops, the Jumbos went on a short run to seize the lead. Senior co-captain Kate Barnosky (Huntington Station, NY) stole the ball and lobbed it ahead to Kornegay who finished and was fouled. She made the ensuing free throw. A couple Eph possessions later, Barnosky stole the ball again and had a pretty bounce pass in the paint to sophomore Caitlin McClure (Arlington, VA). McClure finished the pass to give the Jumbos a four-point lead just under five minutes in. Kornegay then swooshed a jump shot to make it seven straight points for Tufts and an 11-5 lead.
Williams point guard Jill Greenberg drove to the hoop and was fouled. She converted the three-point play. However, that didn't slow the Jumbos down. The visitors pushed the lead to 14 (23-9) behind a three-pointer apiece from Hannah Foley (Acton, MA) and Liz Moynihan (Storrs, CT) before the Ephs scored again.
Grace Rehnquist broke the 12-0 run for Williams with a long ball from the top with 6:32 to play. The field goal, however, was the Ephs' final of the half, and the Jumbos went into the locker room with the 32-15 lead. The hosts made just four of 23 shots (17.4 percent) in the first 20 minutes.
The Ephs came out of the break fighting to get back into the game. They found their first points of the half off of a pair of three-point plays. Claire Baecher backed her defender down in the paint and was fouled. She made the resulting free throw. Lisa Jaris, who had four offensive rebounds for the Ephs, was then fouled on a put-back and also converted the play.
Despite a hard fight from the Ephs, the Jumbos' shooting hand was too hot, and they continued to add to their lead – pushing it to as many as 34 before the game was out. They hit that mark on a jumper by Moynihan that gave Tufts a 598-25 advantage with 7:53 remaining in regulation.
Leading the way tonight for the Jumbos was McClure with 14 points. Moynihan also reached double digits with 12 points. The Jumbos shot 41.4 percent (24/58) from he floor.
Baecher was the only Eph to score in double digits.
Both teams continue conference action tomorrow. Tufts travels on to Middlebury College for a 2:00 start. The Ephs look to bounce back against Bates, with the tip-off also at 2 pm.
#