JUMBOS LEAD AT HALF, BUT ARE ELIMINATED FROM NESCACs BY BOWDOIN
COLLEGE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL FINAL SCORE
NESCAC Tournament Quarterfinals
Bowdoin 52 Tufts 41
At Brunswick, ME
Saturday, February 18, 2006
BRUNSWICK, ME - The Bowdoin College women's basketball team rallied from a halftime deficit to defeat Tufts University 52-41 in a NESCAC Quarterfinal game on Saturday afternoon. The Polar Bears (22-2) are ranked sixth in the latest national poll and will play in the NESCAC Semifinals next weekend against Wesleyan University at Bates.
The second-seeded Polar Bears will face the third-seeded Cardinals in a rematch of a thrilling 73-65 overtime win by Bowdoin on February 3. Gametime is set for 4:00 p.m. next Saturday, February 25. Top-seeded Bates will host fourth-seeded Williams in the other semifinal contest at 2:00 p.m. at Alumni Gymnasium.
Following two quick fouls on Marisa Berne to start the contest, Bowdoin's second-leading scorer was forced to sit on the bench for the remainder of the period and the visitors took advantage. Tufts held Bowdoin to just 34% shooting in the frame and led by one point, 25-24, thanks to eight first-half points from Laura Jasinski (Leverett, MA).
The Polar Bears cranked up the defensive pressure in the second stanza, however, holding the Jumbos to just 16 points in the period. Tied at 31 apiece with 13:30 remaining, an 8-0 Bowdoin spurt gave the hosts some breathing room. Justine Pouravelis keyed the run with a pair of inside hoops.
The Jumbos refused to go away, and when Jessica Powers (Massapequa, NY) nailed a jumper from the wing with 4:15 to play, the deficit was just three points, 40-37. The teams traded baskets before a crucial three-pointer from Berne with one minute to play pushed the Bowdoin lead to seven points, 48-41. The Polar Bears connected on their final four free-throws of the game to seal the win, while Tufts missed a trio of three-point attempts in the closing minutes.
The seventh-seeded Jumbos close their season out with a record of 10-13. Second-seeded Bowdoin extended the nation's longest home-court winning streak to 68 straight games; one shy of the New England record held by the University of Connecticut women's team.
Eileen Flaherty led Bowdoin with 14 points, while Julia Loonin had 10 and seven boards. Justine Pouravelis- on senior day in Brunswick- had seven points, nine rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks. Powers and Jasinski led Tufts with 12 points apiece.
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