MEDFORD - The Tufts women's basketball team allowed a season-low for points and advanced to the NCAA "Elite 8" for the second straight year and third time overall with a 46-31 victory against Eastern Connecticut State University in the third round on Friday at Cousens Gym.
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| Michela North was a force under the basket for Tufts |
The Jumbos, #1 in the nation allowing 47.1 points per game, surrendered just 11 points to the Warriors in the first half. The visitors made just 10 of 58 shots in the game (17.2 percent), including an 8.7 percent mark (2/23) in the first half.
With the win, Tufts gets a rematch with FDU-Florham in the national quarterfinals tomorrow at Cousens. The Devils were 68-54 winners over SUNY Geneseo in Friday's other third-round game at Tufts. The Jumbos, who lost to FDU-Florham 42-39 in the national semi-finals last season in Wisconsin, will bet another shot at the Devils tomorrow at 5:30 pm.
Sophomore Michela North led Tufts against Eastern with 15 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks. She made seven of 12 shots. No one else in the game scored in double digits. Seniors Shannon McCourt and Kristina Forsman both had nine points and seven rebounds for the Warriors.
After their awful first half, Eastern made a run to start the second. McCourt led the charge with three unanswered baskets and the Warriors were within 20-17 three minutes into the half. However, a trio of North lay-ups and a three-pointer by junior Josie Lee put Tufts ahead 31-19 with 12 minutes remaining.
Eastern's Jill Ritrosky made a jumper at 11:40 closing the margin to 31-21. Neither team would score for over four minutes, but Tufts final broke the spell with eight points in a row to lead 39-21 on a Maura Folliard jumper with 5:12 remaining.
The Tufts lead would touch 20 (42-22), the Warriors would get it down to 13 (44-13), but with only 1:32 remaining the Jumbos would soon be victorious.
Tufts never trailed in the game and led 13-3 on a three-pointer by junior Emma Roberson with 10:49 remaining in the first half. Jordyn Nappi hit a jumper to close Eastern within 14-5 at the 10-minute mark, but they didn't score again for six-plus minutes. Tufts had a 20-5 lead following a Nicole Brooks free throw with 4:29 on the clock.
The hosts led 20-11 at intermission led by seven points, five rebounds and four blocks from North. Eastern had more turnovers than points in the period (13-11).
Kanner finished with nine points, eight rebounds, four assists and four blocks for the Jumbos, who improved to 29-1. Tufts blocked 12 shots overall. Lee was a spark with eight points, six rebounds and four assists.
The Warriors were +12 in rebounds for the game, with Ritrosky leading at nine. Sophomore Julia DePoi added six points, six rebounds and two assists to their effort. Eastern finishes its season at 22-9.
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