#19 EMMANUEL GETS PAST SHORTHANDED JUMBOS, 54-47
COLLEGE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL FINAL SCORE
Emmanuel 54 Tufts 47
At Boston, MA
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
BOSTON -- The Tufts University women's basketball team dropped a 54-47 decision to Emmanuel College in non-conference play at the Jean Yawkey Center on Tuesday night. The host Saints, who defeated #1 in the nation Bowdoin College by five on Saturday, improved to 10-1 overall. The Jumbos dropped to 8-2 overall with the disappointing defeat.
Tufts was playing without guards Julia Verplank (Zeeland, MI) and Valerie Krah (Mountain Lakes, NJ). Leading scorers Jessica Powers (Massapequa, NY) and Allison Love (Duxbury, MA) shot a combined 3 for 27 from the floor and combined for eight points. The Jumbos turned the ball over 26 times. Despite these deficiencies, and with a strong defensive effort, Tufts led 21-18 at the half and had a 47-46 lead with 6:10 on the clock. They did not score again and Emmanuel took the victory down the stretch.
Both teams struggled to the 21-18 halftime score. The score was 9-8 Tufts with 5:58 on the clock. Tufts shot 22.6 percent (7/31) and Emmanuel was at 25.9 percent (7/27) for the first 20 minutes. Tufts senior co-captain Erin Connolly (Syosset, NY) and Emmanuel freshman Jade Paez both had five points at the break.
The Saints started the second half quick, erasing the Jumbos lead and taking a 28-23 one of their own on a lay-up by Alyssa McCoy at 17:07. The margin between the teams was very slim and bounced back and forth for the next 11 minutes, until Tufts went cold down the stretch, missing their last 11 shots. McCoy's two free throws at 5:47 gave Emmanuel the lead for good, and a jumper by LaTeisha Johnson gave the hosts a 53-47 lead with 25 seconds left.
The Jumbos, who were led by Connolly's 12 points, shot just 17 for 63 overall (27%). Junior Katherine Miller (Bangor, ME) finished with eight points, including a 6 for 6 night from the free throw line. Paez and LaTeisha Johnson led the Saints with 14 points apiece. Johnson also corralled 10 rebounds and had six steals. McCoy put up 10 points and pulled down six rebounds.
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