SOLID SECOND HALF LIFTS TUFTS TO 71-62 NESCAC WIN OVER AMHERST
COLLEGE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL FINAL SCORE
Tufts 71 Amherst 62
Date: Saturday, January 25, 2002
At Medford
| Amherst (8-9, 0-4) | 32 | 30 | = | 62 |
| Tufts (8-8, 1-2) | 28 | 43 | = | 71 |
MEDFORD – Junior Emily Goodman (Briarcliff, NY) scored 13 of her team-high 19 points in the second half as Tufts University came from behind for a 71-62 victory over Amherst College in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) women's basketball action on Saturday afternoon.
The turning point came with the game even at 60-60 and less than four minutes remaining. Tufts freshman Alison Love (Duxbury, MA), inserted for the foul-troubled Goodman, hit a jumper at 3:19 to initiate an 11-0 Jumbo run that didn't end until Amherst sophomore Sarah Bergman (Shatsbury, VT) scored a meaningless jumper with three seconds left. In all, the Jeffs went a span of 4:50 without scoring down the stretch.
The win was the first for Tufts over Amherst since 1995. The Jumbos returned to .500 at 8-8 overall and posted their first conference win (1-2). The slumping Jeffs dropped their sixth straight, fell below .500 overall at 8-9, and remained winless in NESCAC at 0-4.
A close game throughout, Amherst led 32-28 at the half. Their lead was as big as nine during the first half, 32-23, following a jumper by Bergman, who had 16 points and seven rebounds in the first 20 minutes. Tufts importantly finished the half by scoring five unanswered points, including a three-point play by freshman Devin Rhoades (Oceanside, NY).
Neither team built a lead of more than five points in the second half until Tufts pulled away at the end. The visiting Jeffs led 35-30 on a three-pointer by sophomore Shannon Russell (Shrewsbury, MA) one minute into the second half. Tufts had a 54-49 lead at 9:03 following a layup by Goodman. There were six ties in the second.
The Jumbos shot 48.3 percent from the floor in the second half (14/29). They also got major contributions from their bench overall, led by Rhoades' nine points. Junior guard Erin Harrington (Fall River, MA) pulled down 12 rebounds to go with seven points and three assists. Junior point guard Hillary Dunn (Medfield, MA) had 11 points.
Amherst was led by Bergman's 23 points. Junior Sarah Walker (West Hartford, CT) finished with nine points and 12 rebounds, while Russell scored 11.
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