Emmanuel's Fourth Quarter Push Comes Up Short in 73-66 Loss at No. 17/16 Tufts

MEDFORD, Mass. - The No. 16 Tufts University women's basketball team led by as many as 21 points in the second half, but had to fight off a persistent Emmanuel College squad for a 73-66 home non-conference win in Cousens Gymnasium Thursday evening. 

The Jumbos (6-2) took their largest lead in of the game at 21 points with 6:27 to play in the third quarter, as Sofia Gonzalez connected on a three-pointer to cap off an 8-0 run for the home team. Emmanuel (3-6) crept back into the contest slowly, trailing by 14 points heading into the final period. 

Tufts continued to lead by 14 with 6:20 remaining in the game, but the Saints refused to go away as the visitors started to clamp down on defense while forcing 11 second-half turnovers. Olivia Matela would fuel the comeback for the Saints, as she scored nine points in the fourth quarter as part of a run that made it a single-possession game at 64-62 with just under three minutes to go. 

Senior Maggie Russell answered with a pair of field goals and three free throws to push the Tufts' lead back up to nine with 38 seconds to go. Emmanuel pulled to within seven twice more but couldn't get any closer as the Jumbos held on for the victory. 

The first half saw the lead change hands multiple times, as Tufts trailed 18-16 after 10 minutes following a three-pointer by EC's Meagan Schuermann. Tufts would dominate the second quarter, outscoring their guests 25-11 as the Jumbos went 11-for-14 (78.6 percent) in the frame propelled by the seven points off the bench from Mikayla Paquette. Tufts also posted 16 of its 25 points in the frame in the painted area as it took a 41-29 lead into the intermission. 

Paquette would tally a career-high 15 points in the game, going 6-of-8 from the floor while making her three free throws. Russell was just 3-of-10 from the field Thursday night, but was 8-of-10 at the free throw line while pulling in six boards after missing most of the first half in foul trouble. Samantha Sousa tallied 11 points, seven rebounds and three assists, and Gonzalez tallied 11 points and five rebounds as well. 

The game also saw the return of sophomore Sarah Crossett, who checked in midway through the third quarter for her first action of the season. Crossett, who was a double-figures scorer as a first-year in 2022-23, returned to scored a pair of points while adding a board. Junior Annika Decker led the team with six assists, adding five points, and sophomore Annie Aspesi played great defense while leading all players with a plus-minus of +14 on the night. 

Tufts finished the evening 27-of-67 from the floor (40.3 percent), but was a strong 71.4 percent at the free throw line making 15 of the 21 attempts. Tufts also a 28-16 edge in points off the bench. 

Emmanuel was led by the 19 points from Paris Atuahene, as she grabbed a team-high nine rebounds and dished out four assists as well. Matela was 7-of-17 shooting on the night for 18 points, and Schuermann also tallied 14 points off the bench for the Saints. The teams struggled to hold onto the ball on Thursday, combining for 38 turnovers in the game. 

Tufts will look to stay in the win column this weekend, traveling to No. 1 ranked New York University on Saturday, December 9 at 3 p.m. for a non-conference battle with the undefeated Violets in the John A. Paulson Center in the Big Apple. Emmanuel heads back into conference play, hosting Johnson & Wales on Yosinoff Court at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday.

** Release courtesy of Tufts Athletic Communications Office