No. 4 TUFTS STAYS PERFECT WITH 61-48 VICTORY OVER WOMEN'S HOOPS

BOSTON, Mass. – Tufts University used a 10-0 run early in the second half to propel them past the Emmanuel College women's basketball team, 61-48, Wednesday night at the Jean Yawkey Center. The Jumbos, who are ranked No. 4 in the USA Today poll and No. 6 in the most recent D3hoops.com national poll, stay perfect on the season improving to 19-0 while the loss drops the Saints to 13-5 overall.

The Jumbos opened the action with a 5-0 run capped by a three pointer by senior guard Bre Dufault (Hampden, Mass.) but the Saints answered with back-to-back hoops as senior forward Fiona O'Dwyer (Stamford, Conn.) made it a 5-4 contest at the 15:00 minute marker.

Tufts defensive pressure caused some problems for the EC offensive unit early on and forced Emmanuel to commit 10 turnovers by the halftime intermission. The Jumbos would take their largest lead of the half with 6:37 remaining after a three by sophomore guard Hannah Foley (Acton, Mass.) to make it 20-13 in favor of the visitors.

Emmanuel would close the half strong, going on a 14-5 run over the final six minutes of action to take a 27-25 lead into the locker rooms.

Sophomore forward Jennifer Bujnowski (Salem, N.H.) got the run started scoring seven consecutive points to tie the game at 20-20 with just under four minutes to play before Dufault netted the first Jumbos field goal since Foley's triple to pull the visitors back on top, 22-20.

The Saints would knot the game at 22-all with a layup from sophomore forward Vanessa Bramante (Stoneham, Mass.) and on the next possession, a trey from junior forward Liz Daley (Sharon, Mass.) put EC on top for the first time in the game at 25-22.

The lead would only last for one possession as Foley was able to connect on three free throws after being fouled from behind the arc to even the score at 25-25 but O'Dwyer would pull Emmanuel ahead with a drop-step layup with 13 tics left in the stanza to account for the 27-25 halftime score. This was only the second time all season the Jumbos trailed at the half, as they were down 35-29 to Bridgewater State on Dec. 8 before coming back to win 67-66.

Foley would even the game at 29-29 early in the second half but picked up her third foul on the ensuing possession sending her to the Jumbos bench.

A hook shot by sophomore center Hayley Kanner (Scarsdale, N.Y.) put the Jumbos back on top for the first time in the half at 31-29 and with 15:30 remaining a three from way down town by graduate student Kate Barnosky (Huntington Station, N.Y.) made it a five point Tufts lead at 34-29.

Junior guard Caitlin McClure (Arlington, Va.) made it a 10-0 Jumbo run with a three of her own to give the visitors their largest lead of the night at 37-29 before EC senior guard Laura Benvenuto ended the spurt with a layup with 13:16 left in the action to make it 37-31.

After Dufault gave the Jumbos a 10 points cushion (41-31) with a free-throw extended jumper, EC junior shooting guard Bria Tiro (Saugus, Mass.) drained a three from the wing to get it back to single digits at 41-34 with 11:00 minutes left.

Sophomore guard Kelsey Morehead (Foster City, Calif.) connected on a trio of layups on three consecutive possessions to help Tufts build its lead to 49-38 with 9:04 remaining. 

An old fashion three point play by O'Dwyer cut the Jumbos lead to 54-45 with 5:22 left in the action and two possessions later, the senior tri-captain would connect on one of two from the line to make it 54-46 with 4:26 remaining.

Emmanuel was able to force a turnover and had a chance to get it to a five-point game but was unable to convert and on the ensuing Jumbo possession, Kanner collected a put-back bucket to give the visitors a comfortable 56-46 cushion with just over three minutes left on the clock.

EC was unable to make a late rally as the Jumbos were able to hang on for the 61-48 victory.

Foley and Dufault finished the game with 13 points each for the Tufts while Morehead chipped in with 12.

O'Dwyer led the way for Emmanuel with 13 points and nine rebounds while Bujnowski added 11 points and eight rebounds.

Both squads return to action on Saturday, Jan. 26 for play in their respective conferences when the Saints host Lasell College at 1:00 PM while the Jumbos head to Lewiston, Maine to take on Bates College at 4:00 PM. EC Head Coach Andy Yosinoff enters the contest with 699 career victories and will try to become only the third active coach in New England to accomplish the milestone.