Teams: Women's Basketball: Schedule & Results

COLLEGE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL FINAL SCORE
Tufts 75, Wesleyan 63

At Medford, MA
Friday, January 30, 2009

Game Statistics

Kim Moynihan had clutch baskets for the Jumbos all game

MEDFORD -- Senior co-captain Kim Moynihan (West Hartford, CT) scored 16 of her career-high 26 points in the second half when the Tufts University women's basketball team opened up a close game and came away with a 75-63 NESCAC win over visiting Wesleyan University on Friday night at Cousens Gym.

The Jumbos, ranked #16 in this week's D3hoops.com poll, shot poorly in the first half and trailed by as many as 10 points. The hosts put it together in the second half to improve their records to 14-2 overall and 4-1 in the conference. Wesleyan, which dropped to 9-8 overall and 1-4 in NESCAC, was led by 14 points from senior Ali Fourney (East Northport, NY).

Trailing 30-27 at intermission, Tufts scored the first nine points of the second half to a take a 36-30 lead on a lay-up by Moynihan at the 17:11 mark. She had all of the Jumbo points during the 9-0 run. Tufts would not trail again, but their margin did not exceed six points over the next seven minutes. A three-pointer by Wesleyan sophomore Erin Gold (New Hope, PA) pulled the Cardinals within three points (50-47) with 10:08 on the clock.

The Jumbos scored the next seven points to lead 57-47 with 8:42 remaining. Moynihan again was at the heart of the spurt with a lay-up, a three-pointer and an assist. Two free throws by Wesleyan tri-captain Lucy Sprung (East Dover, VT) cut the Tufts lead down to eight points at 57-49, but the Jumbos scored 10 of the next 11 points to take a 17-point, 67-50 advantage at 5:13. Their lead twice hit 18 points as they sailed to the victory from there.

Wesleyan had the better of the play in the first half, shooting 48 percent (12/25) and out-rebounding Tufts 21-16. After the Jumbos took an early 12-6 lead, the Cardinals initiated a 14-2 run that gave them the six-point margin at 20-14. Fourney's five points and a three by Gold spurred the stretch for the visitors. The Wes lead reached nine (25-16) on a Fourney three-pointer at 5:49 and hit 10 points (30-20) with a Fourney free throw at 1:31. She had nine at the break for Wesleyan. Tufts, however, began its comeback late in the first half. They scored the last seven points, including five by Moynihan (10 first-half points), to close to within three at the break.

Tufts went on to shoot 53.7 percent (22/41) and out-rebound the Cards 26-13 in the second half. Moynihan added seven rebounds (six offensive) and three assists to her game. Junior Julia Baily (Farmington, CT) returned to the team after missing last weekend's games and had 12 points with nine rebounds. Tufts received 20 excellent minutes off the bench from first-year point guard Tiffany Kornegay (Carver, MA), who scored eight points and dished three assists. The Jumbos blocked seven shots in the game and had 11 steals on 22 Wesleyan turnovers.

First-year Sam LaCroce (Prospect, CT) was effective all night for Wes, hitting six of eight shots and scoring 13 points to go with six rebounds. The Cardinals had four scorers in double digits overall, including 12 points apiece from senior tri-captain Meredith Lowe (Philadelphia, PA) and Sprung. Fourney added four assists, two blocks and six steals to the Wesleyan effort. Lowe scored on six of nine field goal attempts and had five rebounds. The Cardinals finished with a 16-7 advantage in scoring from the free throw line.

With Amherst's loss to Bowdoin tonight, Tufts moved into a first-place tie with Bates in NESCAC.

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