Women's Basketball Drops 76-40 Decision to #8 Tufts

MEDFORD, Mass. -- Junior Michela North scored 11 of her game-high 17 points in the first quarter as the #8 Tufts University women's basketball team took a 25-9 lead after ten minutes and went on to a 76-40 non-league victory over Bridgewater State University on Tuesday night at Cousens Gym.

North, who made 7 of 11 shots overall and grabbed eight rebounds, led four Jumbos who scored in double digits. Senior Emma Roberson went for 12 points with three assists while both senior Maura Folliard and sophomore Melissa Baptista scored ten points off the bench. Tufts improved to 4-1.

The Bears, who lost their fourth in a row, dropped to 2-6 overall. They were led by eight points, five rebounds, two blocks and two steals from junior Chanelle Melton. Sophomore Janet Maher was active off the Bears' bench with six points, two rebounds and a steal in eight minutes. Junior Jennie Lindland finished with five points, four rebounds and a pair of assists.

Bridgewater scored the game's first points on a jumper by senior Vanesa Conceicao, but that would be their only lead of the game. The Jumbos tallied 14 of the next 15 points to lead 14-3 on North's lay-up at 4:38 of the first quarter. North had nine points during the run. Tufts made 10 of 18 shots (55.6 percent) in the first quarter.

The Bears outscored the Jumbos 11-10 in the second quarter led by five points from freshman Sara DaSilva. The closest they would come was trailing 33-20 on Melton's lay-up at 1:17 of the second half. Baptista hit a lay-up with 52 seconds remaining until halftime and Tufts took a 35-20 advantage into the break.

A 14-3 run to start the second half put the game away for the Jumbos. They led 49-23 on North's lay-up with 4:54 on the third-quarter clock. North and junior Josie Lee had five points during the stretch. The Jumbos built their margin to 32 (60-28) by the end of the third and got up by as many as 40 points (76-36) in the final stanza before settling for the 76-40 win.

Tufts made 31 of 60 shots overall for a 51.7 percentage, including 6 of 14 on threes (42.9 percent). They were +11 on rebounds (38-27) and had 22 assists on 31 baskets. Lee added six points, four rebounds and four assists, while freshman Katie Martensen totaled seven points, five rebounds, two assists and two blocks.

The Jumbos held a 24-3 advantage in points off turnovers as well as a  44-14 edge in points in the paint.

Bridgewater shot 36% (16-45) from the floor and converted just 7 of 17 (41%) free throw attempts.

This was the start of a busy final week of the fall semester for Tufts. They are at Wheaton College on Thursday and Connecticut College on Saturday. Bridgewater State does not play again until January 2 in the NYU Holiday Clasic versus Middlebury College.