JUMBOS LOSE FINAL FIRST-SEMESTER GAME AT SOUTHERN MAINE
COLLEGE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL FINAL SCORE
Southern Maine 67 Tufts 44
At Gorham, ME
Monday, December 8, 2003
GORHAM, Maine - Sophomore forward Tiffany Jones (Skowhegan, ME) scored a game-high 17 points and the University of Southern Maine Huskies jumped to a 20-point halftime lead en route to a 67-44 triumph over the visiting Tufts University Jumbos in non-conference action at the Hill Gym on Monday evening. Southern Maine improved to 5-1 overall and will play its final game before the 17-day exam break on Saturday when it entertains Western Connecticut. Tufts slipped to 4-2 and will be idle until traveling to Fitchburg State College on January 10.
The 44 points was a season-low for Tufts, which entered the game averaging 85.0 points. Prior to tonight, Tufts' lowest offensive total came in a 77-73 loss at Montclair State on November 23. For the game, Tufts made just 16-64 field goal attempts, for a .250 shooting percentage, which also is well below their season average entering the contest (.458).
The Huskies won the contest in the first half, when they opened the game with a 9-0 run, held the Jumbos to just three field goals on 33 attempts for a .091 shooting percentage, and took a 33-13 advantage at the break. Senior forward Erin Buckley (East Sandwich, MA) scored the Jumbos first points of the game on a pair of free throws with 13:43 to play in the contest. Southern Maine answered with a 6-0 run to build a 15-2 advantage with 12:37 remaining, before Tufts' scored its first basket of the evening on a lay up from freshman guard Jenny Muller (Andover, MA) to trim the deficit to 15-4 with 12:12 to play. Tufts would pull no closer the remainder of the night. Southern Maine built its lead to 20 points at 31-11 on a pair of free throws from freshman Katie Sibley (Boothbay, ME) with 1:30 remaining in the half.
Following the break, Tufts pulled within 16 points on two occasions, with the final time coming at 47-31 on a free throw from senior forward Kate Gluckman (Morrisville, VT) with 8:48 remaining. Southern Maine took its largest advantage at 67-40 on a pair of free throws from freshman guard Lindsey Welch (Newport, ME) with 42 seconds to play.
The Huskies also received 11 points, nine boards and three assists from senior Meg Cressler (Appleton, Maine) and 10 points from Webster. The Jumbos were led by Buckley, who recorded a team-high 11 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
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