MEDFORD - The Tufts University women's basketball team earned a return trip to the NCAA Championship "Final Four" with a 58-52 victory over defending national champion FDU-Florham in the quarterfinals today at Cousens Gym.
The Jumbos (30-1) were led by 14 points and four assists by first-year guard Lauren Dillon, 13 points and 10 rebounds from senior tri-captain Hayley Kanner and sophomore Michela North's 10 points with 11 rebounds. The Jumbos out-scored the Devils 30-22 in the second half to take the victory.
Tufts will travel to Grand Rapids, Michigan next week to play in the national semi-finals. They are awaiting their opponent as Thomas More plays St. Thomas (MN) in the quarterfinals tonight.
Today's game featured the nation's fourth-ranked offense in FDU-Florham (84.6 ppg) against Tufts' #1 defense (47.1 ppg). After the Devils shot 50-percent (13/26) in the first half to take a 30-28 halftime lead, the Jumbos held them to just 21.9 percent (7/32) in the second half as they took a lead they would not relinquish in the final nine minutes. FDU-Florham's 52 points were more than 30 below its season average.
The first nine minutes of the second half were a one-possession game until Florham took a 40-36 advantage on a pair of free throws by senior Kyra Dayon. However, Tufts would turn the game around with an 11-2 run over the next four minutes to lead 47-42. A three-pointer by senior Kelsey Morehead and four points from Dillon led the charge.
FDU twice pulled within one, including 49-48 following a jumper by junior Alicia Cox with 5:27 on the clock. However, they would go into a shooting funk against the Jumbo defense from that point. The Devils made just one of their last 11 field goal attempts in the final five minutes including nine straight misses.
A three by Dillon put Tufts up 54-48 with 3:34 remaining, the largest lead by either team since early in the first half. Junior Shalette Brown hit a pair of free throws for the Devils cutting the margin to 54-50 at 2:44. A lay-up by Jumbo junior Emma Roberson and a Kanner free throw sandwiched around two misses and a turnover by FDU had the Tufts lead at 57-50 with less than a minute to go. The Jumbos were soon celebrating their second straight "Final Four" trip.
FDU's fast-paced style rattled the Jumbos early on. The visitors led 8-2 and were up 16-11 with sophomore Alyssa McDonough scorng five early points. Tufts adjusted and surged to a 21-18 advantage on North's lay-up at 5:44. The teams went back-and-forth until a jumper a three-pointer by McDonough gave Florham a 30-26 lead. North's jumper at the buzzer made it a two-point game at the half.
McDonough had 10 at intermission to lead the Devils, while Brown recorded six points, five rebonds and three steals. Tufts had 10 second-chance points in the opening half with seven offensive rebounds. North and Dillon both had six points at the break.
For the game, Roberson was a factor for the Jumbos with seven points, five assists and four rebounds. Morehead contributed eight points including a pair of threes as Tufts made six of 13 from beyond the arc (46.2 percent). Dillon was three for four from deep. The Jumbos were +9 in rebounds (42-33).
The Devils (29-2) were led by 12 points each from McDonough and Brown, who finished with nine rebounds and four steals. Senior Kyra Dyon had 10 points and seven rebounds while Kara Dayon posted eight and five.
The game was a rematch of the NCAA semi-final played in Wisconsin last season and won by FDU-Florham 42-39. The Devils went on to win the 2014 NCAA title.
Tufts, now 18-7 overall in NCAA play and the winners of 12 straight NCAA games in Cousens, move on to Michigan where they will play for the program's first national championship. The semi-finals are on Friday (March 20) at Calvin College's Van Noord Arena.
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