Teams: Women's Basketball: Schedule & Results

KRAH'S 19 POINTS LEAD TUFTS TO NESCAC WIN AT AMHERST

COLLEGE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL FINAL SCORE
Tufts 58 Amherst 53

At Amherst, MA
Friday, January 12, 2007

Game Statistics

Valerie Krah - Game high 19 points at Amherst

AMHERST -- The Tufts University women's basketball team erased an eight-point halftime deficit to win its NESCAC opener at Amherst College on Friday night, 58-53. The Jumbos stormed back and took a commanding lead in the second half and improved to 8-5 overall, ending a four-game losing streak. The Jeffs dropped their third consecutive game to fall to 7-7 on the season. 

Neither team could get into a rhythm to open the game, as the Jumbos and Jeffs combined for ten shots in the opening three minutes of play, none of which found their way through the rim. Samantha Swensen (Rockaway Park, NY) finally put Amherst on the board with a lay-up at the 16:57 mark. 

The Jeffs jumped out to their largest lead of the half when Swensen converted on another lay-up, giving Amherst a 19-9 lead with 8:54 remaining in the opening frame. Tufts would not let the game get out of hand however, as the Jumbos scored the next six points of the game to cut their deficit to four points with five minutes remaining in the half. Amherst responded in kind, closing out the half 5-1 to head into the locker room ahead 24-16. 

Neither team's offense was impressive in the first half. While Amherst shot 32% from the floor, the Jumbos shot a mere 22%, including only 10% from behind the three-point line. 

Tufts opened the second half on an 8-2 run (five points by Krah) to pull within two points of Amherst, 26-24. The Jumbos took their first lead of the game at 13:10 when junior Khalilah Ummah (Litchfield, ME) knocked down a pair of free throws as part of a 16-0 run by the Jumbos. Tufts held a 42-31 lead with 10 minutes remaining in the game and never allowed the Jeffs to climb back into the picture. The visitors led by as many as 12 points and never fewer than eight points until the final minute of the game. Amherst pulled within five points with 16 seconds remaining in regulation, but its run was not enough and Tufts pulled off the 58-53 victory. 

Senior guard Valerie Krah led all scorers with 19 points and added three steals. Junior Jenna Gomez (Norfolk, MA) finished with 10 points and seven rebounds for Tufts. Ummah pulled down 12 rebounds to go with eight points, while senior co-captain Laura Jasinski (Leverett, MA) added nine rebounds to six points. Tufts finished with a solid 49-37 edge in rebounds.

Senior tri-captain Jenny Muller (Andover, MA) finished the night with a team-high 17 points for Amherst, adding four rebounds and three steals. Swensen added 14 points (5-7 FG) and five rebounds. Junior tri-captain Stefanie Reiff (Hinsdale, IL) also finished in double figures, totaling 11 points to go along with her five rebounds.

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