MEDFORD, MA (March 4, 2023) -- Junior forward Maggie Russell posted a game-high 23 points while pulling in 16 rebounds for the No. 21 Tufts University women's basketball team as the Jumbos advanced to their 11th straight Sweet 16 with a 59-50 NCAA Tournament Second Round win over Skidmore College in action from Cousens Gymnasium. 

"It was a tough game, I thought we stayed relatively composed in the second half to finish it out," said head coach Jill Pace. "We knew that Skidmore was a great second half team as we saw yesterday in their game and throughout their season. Kudos to them, I think they're a great team, it was a great battle and I thought we were pretty consistent defensively throughout the game."

The Jumbos (23-6) needed that defensive unit to step up in the second half, as they struggled offensively from the field making just four field goals in the second half including going 1-of-13 in the final period. Leading by nine going into the fourth quarter at 48-39, Kate McCarney hit a three-pointer early in the fourth to make it a six-point game. 

With seven minutes left, senior Joelle Zelony connected on a pair of free throws to make the score 50-42, which is were the score would stay for three minutes as neither team could hit a field goal before Julia Blanck pulled Skidmore to within seven at 50-43. Another 2:15 would elapse before Skidmore got a three-pointer by Andi Levitz to make it a four-point game at 50-46. 

Following a timeout, Pace drew up a perfect play as Russell fed a backdoor cutting Sofia Gonzalez for a bucket plus the free throw to put the Jumbos back up by seven with 1:24 to play. The field goal was Tufts' first since just over a minute to go in the third quarter, and ended a 5:39 scoreless stretch. Tufts forced another empty possession for the Thoroughbreds, and Russell went 5-of-6 from the line over the final minute to help send the team to the Sweet 16. 

The second half was a stark contrast to the first two frames, which saw the Jumbos make 56.3 percent in the opening 10 minutes while hitting 4-of-5 from three to take a 22-14 lead into the second quarter. The hot shooting continued for the Jumbos, who outscored Skidmore 18-13 in the second period to lead 40-27 at the halftime intermission. 



Despite shooting only 18.8 percent in the third quarter, the Jumbos were able to force nine turnovers by Skidmore in the frame to keep a nine-point lead going into the fourth quarter. 

Russell finished 7-of-16 from the floor for the contest, making 9-of-11 from the free throw line, while adding five steals and four assists. Gonzalez was 3-of-5 from deep, scoring 14 points before fouling out. Junior Callie O'Brien contributed six points, six assists and five rebounds, while Zelony contributed six points and three boards off the bench. 

The Jumbos finished the contest 19-of-58 (32.8 percent) from the field, but were solid from behind the three-point arc making 7-of-17 from deep. Tufts held a 20-12 points in the paint edge on Saturday evening, while forcing 21 turnovers for the game. 

Tufts returns to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the 11th consecutive season with the lone exception coming in 2021 when the campaign was canceled due to CoVID-19. The Jumbos appearance is the 12th all-time in the Sweet 16, while continuing its run through its 14th all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Skidmore was led by the 11 points from Amelia Medolla, and McCarney finished with 10 points and four rebounds. Blank led all players with 19 rebounds, also picking up five blocks and nine points. The Thoroughbreds finish their season 23-6 overall after winning the Liberty League as well as picking up an NCAA Tournament victory Friday against Johns Hopkins University. 

The Jumbos will now await the winner of Trinity University of Texas and Hardin-Simmons University next Friday at a site to be announced on Sunday afternoon. On the other side of the bracket, No. 24 Wartburg (Iowa) will battle No. 1 Christopher Newport University for a spot in the NCAA Elite 8 round.