Samantha Gallo and Trinity (Conn.) lead the race for first place in the NESCAC. Trinity (Conn.) athletics file photo

Trinity (Conn.) shut down No. 7 Tufts while No. 6 Whitman kept rolling through the NWC and No. 10 New York University avenged its lone loss on Friday night. On the men's side, Linfield knocked off No. 17 Whitworth after the Wildcats women won at the buzzer.

• Friday night scoreboard: Men | Women
• Around the Nation: Still running the table

 Tufts had a rough night shooting the ball, and Trinity rolled past the Jumbos, 60-42, and into first place in the NESCAC. The Bantams held Tufts to 11 points on 3-for-24 shooting in the first half and built a 21-point advantage at the break. Tufts trimmed the Bantams' lead to 34-18 a couple minutes into the second half, but Samantha Gallo answered with a three-point play and Bailey Hyland followed with two free throws. Trinity pushed to 25 points late in the third quarter and coasted from there.

Gallo and Hyland combined for 29 points and 14 rebounds for Trinity (13-4, 5-1 NESCAC), which has a half-game lead on Middlebury and holds the tiebreaker over the Panthers. Tufts (16-3, 5-2 NESCAC) shot 3 for 27 from three and played without Molly Russell who is averaging a double-double this season. 

One week after losing at Rochester, No. 10 New York University turned the tables on the Yellowjackets and won comfortably at home, 85-63. The Violets jumped out to a 13-2 lead in the first quarter and led by 17 at the half. Rochester rallied within five at 49-44 in the third quarter, but the Violets put the game away with a 7-0 run early in the fourth quarter. Natalie Bruns scored a career-high 22 points for NYU (16-1, 7-1 UAA).

All-American forward Kaylie McCracken tallied 26 points and nine rebounds, and No. 6 Whitman stayed perfect in the NWC with a 60-52 win at Pacific. The teams traded leads in the third quarter, with Madison Dunlop putting the Boxers in front, 34-33, midway through the period. The Blues scored the next 10 points, six of them by McCracken, and entered the final period up 43-34. Pacific got as close as four in the fourth quarter but tWhitman (19-1, 11-0 NWC) made enough free throws in the final minute to seal the victory.

Cortland outscored Plattsburgh State 27-5 in the first period and cruised to its 15th consecutive win, 81-45. Four Red Dragons scored double figures, led by Shannon McGuire who had 18 points and eight rebounds. Cortland (16-2, 12-0 SUNYAC) leads SUNY New Paltz by three games with six to play.

Linfield picked up its first win of the season in dramatic fashion when Rowan Cusack drained a three at the buzzer to beat Whitworth, 62-59. The win is the Wildcats' first in conference since beating Pacific Lutheran on February 8, 2020.

Speaking of the Wildcats, the Linfield men defeated No. 17 Whitworth, 71-65, for just the third time in 28 seasons. Linfield opened up a 15-point halftime lead and maintained that double-digit advantage until four minutes left in the game. Garett Paxton's three-pointer started an 8-0 Whitworth run and the Pirates had the ball and a chance to tie the game at 67 with 27 seconds remaining. Rowan Anderson missed a jumper in the lane and Dempsey Roggenbuck grabbed the defensive rebound for Linfield. After Whitworth fouled him, Rogenbuck sunk both free throws and Linfield added two more in the final seconds.

Roggenbuck finished with 23 points in 36 minutes for Linfield (13-5, 8-2 NWC). Whitworth's loss coupled with Pacific Lutheran's 102-91 win at Willamette creates a tie for first place in the NWC between the Pirates and Lutes.

In one of the best come-from-behind wins of the season, Emory rallied from a double-digit second-half deficit and a six-point hole in the final minute to overcome Brandeis in overtime, 86-80. 

Brandeis led by double digits for much of the second half and had a 61-48 advantage with under seven minutes to play. Emory held Brandeis to one made free throw for the next six minutes and pulled within five, 62-57, on Nick Stuck's layup. The Judges still led by six with 17 seconds left, but Stuck struck again for Emory, cutting the Brandeis lead to four. After the Judges split a pair of free throws, Emory's Matthew Schner was fouled shooting a three with five seconds left. He made all free throws and cut Brandeis' lead to 69-67 with five seconds left. Brandeis split a pair of free throws again, and that allowed Stuck to hit a game-tying three at the buzzer. In overtime, Emory led much of the way and finished the game on a 12-4 run.

Schner and Stuck combined for 49 points in 88 minutes for Emory (14-4, 7-1 UAA). Tommy Eastman led Brandeis (9-5, 2-3 UAA) with 35 points.

No. 17 Oswego State tightened its grip on first place in the SUNYAC with an 85-58 win at home over SUNY Potsdam. The Lakers' starters scored 55 points in limited minutes. Oswego State (19-1, 13-0 SUNYAC) has won 16 straight.