Thursday, March 4, 2004

POWERS, LOVE ON ALL-NESCAC BASKETBALL SECOND TEAM

MEDFORD – The 2003-04 Tufts University Women's Basketball team won more games than all but one of the 31 Jumbos teams before them. Head Coach Carla Berube's team finished 18-6, second to the 1986-87 team's 20-3 mark. Often leading the way for the Jumbos was junior forward Allison Love (Duxbury, MA/Duxbury) and sophomore guard Jessica Powers (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa). Both were rewarded for strong seasons on Wednesday when they were named to the All-New England Small College Athletic Conference Second Team.

The pair finished the season with nearly identical scoring statistics. Love scored 308 points in 24 games for an average of 12.83 per game, while Powers scored 306 in 24 games for a 12.75 average. With Bowdoin College playing in the NCAA Tournament, NESCAC statistics are not yet final, but Love and Powers are 10^th and 11^th, respectively, in the conference scoring race. One or the other led the team in scoring in 18 of the team's 24 games this season.

Powers, the NESCAC Rookie of the Year last season, emerged as the team's leader on the floor with another solid season. In addition to her scoring skills, which included a team-high 37 three-pointers, she also led the team with 86 assists and 747 minutes. Her 3.58 assists per game average ranks fifth in the conference. She's also in the top 10 for steals (2.12 per game) and free throw percentage (75.0). Powers scored 23 points with five rebounds and six assists against Colby on February 7. She also scored 16 points to lead a big win on the road at Williams February 14.

Love was a go-to presence offensively and the team's top rebounder. NESCAC's ninth-rated shooter (45.9 field goal percentage), she led Tufts with four 20-point games. On the boards, she had the most rebounds for the Jumbos 13 times. Her 7.4 rebounds per game average is tenth in the conference. Love put up 20 points and pulled down 14 rebounds in the game at Bates on January 24. She also led an important victory at Middlebury on February 13 with 19 points and 10 rebounds.

Tufts earned a #6 ranking in the NCAA Northeast Region this season. The Jumbos finished in a three-way tie for second place in NESCAC with a 7-2 mark. Tufts toppled previously undefeated and Wesleyan, 47-46, on January 17 when Love scored a last-second scoop shot. The Cardinals finished the season ranked third in the region.

#