JUMBOS DEFEAT MIDDLEBURY TO IMPROVE TO 6-2 IN NESCAC
COLLEGE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL FINAL SCORE
Tufts 77 Middlebury 62
At Middlebury, VT
Friday, February 13, 2004
MIDDLEBURY, Vt. -- Junior forward Allison Love (Duxbury, MA) scored 19 points and had 10 rebounds as the visiting Tufts University women's basketball team posted a 77-62 victory over the Middlebury College Panthers in NESCAC action on Friday night.
With the win, Tufts (16-5) remained tied for second place in NESCAC at 6-2. Bates and Wesleyan are also 6-2, with all three teams behind first-place Bowdoin (8-0). Williams, where Tufts plays tomorrow afternoon, is in fifth place at 5-3. Four of those will host NESCAC tournament first-round games on February 21.
An evenly played first half saw Tufts hold its biggest lead at 26-20 with 1:40 left in the half. The led 29-24 at the break. The Jumbos kept a slim lead for most of the second half until Middlebury took its first lead of the game at 47-46 with 10:58 left to play. Tufts answered and never trailed again, ending the game with a 14-4 run.
Four Jumbos scored in double-digits, including sophomore guard Julia Verplank (Zeeland, MI) with 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Reserve Erin Connolly (Syosset, NY) hit 6 of 8 shots and scored 14 points. The Jumbos shot 50 percent from the field (28/56), including 8 for 17 (47.1 percent) from three-point land.
Middlebury (11-10, 4-4 NESCAC) got 18 points and nine rebounds from Alexis Hollinger, and 13 points with 14 rebounds from Alexis Batten.
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