MEDFORD - For the seventh time this season, the Tufts women's basketball team kept an opponent under 50 points as the Jumbos won 64-34 over Wheaton College in non-league action at Cousens Gymnasium on Monday night.

Wheaton's 34 points matched the second-lowest total scored against Tufts this season. The Jumbos held Lasell to 34 points in their season opener on November 20, and also allowed just 29 points against Keene State College on January 2. Tonight, Wheaton shot just 17.2 percent (11/64) against the Jumbos. The Lyons scored just 13 points in the second half, when they shot four for 32 (12.5 percent).

Eleven different players scored for the Jumbos, including a game-high 13 points by senior tri-captain Colleen Hart (Needham, MA) and 10 by first year Ali Rocchi (Fairfield, CT). Tufts improved to 11-2 overall.

Wheaton College, which had 15 players see action, did not have a scorer finish in double-digits. They were led by six points apiece from sophomore Jeana Trimboli (Norwalk, CT) and first year Lauren McClelland (Scituate, MA). The Lyons dropped to 6-8 overall.

Lyons sophomore Natasha Colon Ortiz (Holyoke, MA) scored the game's first basket, but that would be the only lead of the night for the visitors. Tufts sophomore Bre Dufault (Hampden, MA) hit a three-pointer on the next trip down the floor. Neither team established itself quickly, with Tufts leading 12-4 seven minutes into the game. A lay-up by senior Sarah Nolet (Los Altos, CA) at 12:37 put the Jumbos up 14-4 and they would lead by double-digits the rest of the way.

A 10-0 run in the middle of the first half gave Tufts a 26-6 advantage after a lay-up by sophomore Sam Tye (Newton, MA) at the eight-minute mark. The Jumbos would lead by as many as 21 points twice in the first half, but Wheaton was able to cut the gap to 37-21 at the break. Hart had nine at halftime for Tufts, while Trimboli had all of her six points in the first 20 minutes for Wheaton.

Rocchi scored six points when Tufts came out of the locker room and tallied the first eight points of the second half to lead 45-21 with 17:41 on the clock. The Tufts lead stayed in the 20s for the rest of the half until Tye's lay-up with a minute left accounted for the 64-34 final score.

Hart added seven rebounds and four steals to her game, while junior guard Tiffany Kornegay (Carver, MA) finished with six points, six rebounds and four assists. Tye accumulated seven points, seven rebounds and three blocks. Dufault also blocked three shots, while first year Liz Moynihan (Storrs, CT) put up seven points and pulled down seven rebounds. 

Ortiz had four rebounds and two blocks for Wheaton, while Trimboli added two steals. Junior Nicole Cullinane (Rindge, NH) posted five points, three rebounds and two assists.

Tufts travels to Maine for a pair of NESCAC games at Bowdoin and at Colby on Friday and Saturday, respectively. Wheaton is back in action on Wednesday when they host Wellesley in NEWMAC action.

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