Women's Basketball Falls to #2 Tufts, 64-44

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – The No. 2-ranked (per the WBCA Coaches Poll) Tufts University women's basketball team defeated Bridgewater State, 64-44, in a non-conference matchup Saturday afternoon at Williams College.

The Jumbos remain unbeaten on the season as they improve to 5-0, while the Bears fall to 1-5 with their fifth straight setback.

Tufts and Bridgewater State played a close game in the first quarter, with the Jumbos ending the period up 18-13. The Jumbos built a comfortable lead on the Bears in the beginning of the second quarter. With 6:23 remaining in the opening half, a layup by Melissa Baptista put the Jumbos up 27-16. The basket gave Baptista her 1,000th career point. A deep three-pointer by Jac Knapp at the buzzer capped off a commanding second quarter for Tufts, putting the Jumbos up 40-23 heading into the break.

The Tufts defense was dominant in the first half; the Jumbos forced 19 turnovers while committing just ten themselves.

Tufts stayed ahead by a large margin throughout the third, never letting their lead dip below 17 points. The score was 52-33 heading into the final period.

Early in the fourth, Bridgewater State went on a brief 7-2vrun capped off by a Chanelle Melton free throw to make the score 54-40 with 5:37 remaining. However, Tufts never let it get any closer, as multiple baskets by Erica DeCandido and Emily Briggs in the final minutes led them to a 20-point victory.

DeCandido (14 points, four rebounds) and Baptista (12 points, five rebounds) led the Jumbos, while Destiny Fitzgerald (12 points, seven rebounds) and Sara DaSilva (ten points, four rebounds, four steals) paced Bridgewater State.

Both teams are back in action on Wednesday night at seven. Tufts travels to WPI, while Bridgewater State heads to Johnson & Wales University.