The women's basketball team is here to stay.
The team emphatically won last weekend's Tufts Invitational tip-off tournament, scoring a combined 162 points in two games.
The team was led by tournament MVP junior Jessica Powers. The weekend's performance removed any and all doubt that, under coach Carla Berube, this program is on the way up.
On Friday, the Jumbos easily came away with an 88-23 win over non-conference Bryn Mawr. Tufts led 49-12 at the half and never looked back on the way to its most lopsided win in recent years.
Shooting 56 percent from the floor and out-rebounding Bryn Mawr 40-19, the Jumbos were able to shut down the Owls defensively and score almost at will.
Powers led the Tufts effort against Bryn Mawr netting six of seven attempts from the floor en route to a game-high 14 points. Senior co-captain Allison Love followed with 13 points, and sophomore guard Valerie Krah put up 11 for the Jumbos.
On the defensive end, a combined nine rebounds and six steals from juniors Katherine Miller and Julia Verplank proved frustrating for the Owls.
On Saturday, the Jumbos faced Endicott in the semifinals after the Gulls pulled out a victory over Smith in the first round. Scoring was spread evenly among the starters, and every Jumbo made an appearance, proof of the depth that Berube considered a high point during the preseason.
"I'm really excited about our depth this season, and we saw that today," she said. "Our freshmen are quality athletes, and it's a transition for everyone coming in."
Verplank's eight points, six assists, six rebounds, and two steals earned her a spot on the all-tournament team, and the Jumbos got an additional spark from Krah, whose quickness on both ends of the court helped her score ten points and bring down two rebounds.
Senior co-captain Erin Connolly was a perfect two-for-two from behind the arc to spark the Jumbos' outside game, complementing the tough play down low from Love and sophomore Laura Jasinski, who combined for 19 points and 13 boards.
Once again, the Jumbos came out strong and opened early leads of 12-5 and 30-12. After some early fouls, Tufts played with discipline and intensity, and worked to shut down the Gulls offensively. It seems Berube's insistence on defensive effort has paid off.
"Our pressure defense really got [Endicott] rattled," Connolly said. "We're a team that likes to run, and we got some easy points from our defense."
Powers echoed these sentiments.
"We put in some man-to-man [defense] to slow them down, and not let them set up their offense," she said. "We did a good job of getting into passing lanes and keeping the pressure on."
The Gulls were unable to get in a set offense, rushing outside shots and struggling to get position on the blocks. They even called three time-outs in the first half to try to get a handle on the Jumbos.
Tufts, however, had an answer for everything their opponents sent its way. Endicott put on a full court press; Tufts broke it on its first possession for a layup. The Gulls switched to a 3-2 zone to shut down Tufts' early shooting streak; the Jumbos fed the ball to Love and Jasinski in the lane.
"Our post players did a great job," Berube said. "They worked to get the ball inside and score, but if they didn't have it, they kicked it back out and set up some shots."
The Gulls made a run in the second half, closing to within 11, but were unable to overcome that psychologically crucial 10-point margin as Krah hit key back-to-back jumpers that set off a 12-3 scoring run to seal the game for the Jumbos.
Tufts' play over the weekend earned the team two spots on the all-tournament team in Verplank and Love. To no one's surprise, the MVP spot went to Powers, whose combined 25 points, seven rebounds, and six assists sparked the team on both ends of the court.
Overall, last weekend's success was inspiring, not only because it started off the season with two wins, but because the team showed its ability to play tight defense and put a lot of points on the board; two aspects of the game key to its success last season that Berube looks to continue this winter.
The 2003-04 Jumbos topped 90 points four times and beat their opponents by an average of almost 21 points. Their ability to put up big numbers will be important as they face a tough schedule from NESCAC rivals and non-league opponents.
Tufts takes the court again Tuesday at Johnson & Wales in a rematch of last year's regular season opener, in which the Jumbos pounded the Wildcats 98-47. Tuesday's game will be a chance for the Jumbos to prove themselves on the road heading into the holidays.
