Tufts Women's Basketball Defeats Hamilton, Receives #1 Seed in Upcoming NESCAC Championship

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MEDFORD - The Tufts University women's basketball team finished its 2012-13 regular-season with records of 23-1 overall and 9-1 in NESCAC after posting a 57-37 victory over Hamilton College on Wednesday night at Cousens Gym.

Later in the night, the Jumbos won the luck of the draw to determine the #1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament. Tufts, Amherst, and Williams all finished with 9-1 conference records. After the three-way tie was unable to be broken using standard procedures, the order was picked out of a hat and Tufts came up first.

The Jumbos, ranked #7 in this week's D3Hoops.com poll, will host #8 seed Bowdoin in the quarterfinal round of the NESCAC Championship on Saturday at 4 pm.

On Wednesday night against Hamilton, Tufts was led by 13 points apiece from sophomore Hannah Foley (Acton, MA) and junior Liz Moynihan (Storrs, CT). The Continentals (12-11, 3-7 NESCAC), who failed to earn a conference tournament berth, got 12 points, five rebounds, and three steals from first-year Samantha Graber (Roseland, NJ).

Tufts never trailed in the game, but wasn't able to pull away until late. They scored the game's first six points and led 10-3 on a pair of free throws by Moynihan at the 15-minute mark of the opening period. Hamilton was within 13-9 with the help of a three-pointer by senior tri-captain Madie Harlem (Oneonta, NY), but Tufts twice went up by 12 including 23-11 after first-year Emma Roberson's (Arlington, MA) jumper at 3:15.

The margin was eight (23-15) at the break. Sophomore Hayley Kanner (Scarsdale, NY) led Tufts with seven points, five blocks, and four rebounds in the first 20 minutes. Graber and senor tri-captain Eliza Howe (Westport, CT) both had four points and three rebounds for Hamilton.

The Jumbos scored the first seven points of the second half to lead 30-15 after three-pointers by Kate Barnosky (Huntington Station, NY) and Moynihan. However, the Continentals outscored Tufts 14-5 during the next seven minutes to close the margin to 35-29 with 8:16 on the clock. Graber nailed two three pointers and scored eight points during the run.

Hamilton got even closer at 37-32 on Harlem's free throw with 6:23 remaining. At the four-minute mark, it was a six-point game (43-37) following a pair of free throws by Harlem. Tufts closed with a 14-0 run during the final 3:28 though to get the 20-point victory. Moynihan sank two threes and scored eight points during the stretch.

Tufts was eight for 16 shooting threes and earned a 43-36 margin in rebounds. Foley added nine rebounds and three assists to her game, while Kanner finished at nine points, seven rebounds, and six blocks. Barnosky chipped in five points, seven rebounds, four assists, and three steals.

Harlem posted a game-high six assists for Hamilton, while senior tri-captain Kim Goidell (Centerport, NY) led the visitors with six rebounds. The Continentals shot just 24.5 percent (12/49) overall.

The 23 wins are already tied for the second most in Tufts team history. The Jumbos won 26 in 2007-08 and 23 last year.

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