The floor of Cousens Gymnasium, though largely untested, has certainly been good to the women's basketball team this year. Playing only their second game of the season at home, the Jumbos blew by the Wellesley Blue, 90-45, on Saturday, posting a 30-plus point margin for the second straight game and scoring 90 points for the first time since November 2003.
This game was never very competitive, as the Jumbos flexed their muscle against the 3-6 Blue, improving their own mark to 6-1. Both teams struggled out of the gate, as Tufts did not score a field goal until over three minutes into the contest. However, with 13:43 remaining in the first half, the Jumbos rattled off 21 unanswered points to take a commanding 26-6 lead that they would never relinquish. The Jumbos didn't get complacent, expanding on their lead to make the halftime score 40-16.
"Our defensive intensity triggered the run," senior guard Taryn Miller-Stevens said. "In the last few games, when we have gotten into a little bit of a slump, it has been our defense that has gotten us out of it. Overall defensive pressure leads to better offensive sets for us."
Much of their first-half success can be attributed to defense, as the Jumbos forced Wellesley into 15 turnovers and a 31-percent clip from the field. Tufts held a 15-shot advantage over the Blue, and senior guard Valerie Krah had the hot hand, with four three-pointers for 12 first-half points. The inside play of junior Khalilah Ummah and senior co-captain Libby Park also helped Tufts build its lead, as the duo combined for 17 points, all on lay-ups and free throws.
After watching several first-half leads slip away this season, the Jumbos were not about to see their 24-point halftime lead go the same way. The team came out of the intermission aggressive and dominated the rest of the game, shooting a season-best 68 percent from the field while holding the Blue just 33 percent. The Tufts lead climbed above 50 points twice in the game's final five minutes.
"We felt that it was important to keep the energy up from the first half, and carrying it over to the second half helped us with the momentum," Krah said.
Again, the pressure defense applied by Tufts forced Wellesley to make mistakes, as 11 second-half turnovers brought the Blue's total to 26. Tufts turned these miscues into 33 points and dominated inside with 34 points in the paint for the game.
"I think we put them in tough offensive situations," Krah said. "They had a couple shot-clock violations, and it was difficult for them to set their offense."
With her team's early success, coach Carla Berube was able to rest her starters, for most of the second half, good news for a team playing its third game in five days. And this game was not unlike the first two - all three were double-digit victories in which Tufts dominated defensively and seemed to score at will. All 13 members of the team took the floor Saturday.
The Jumbos were led by Ummah's 15 points and five rebounds, while Krah finished with 14 points and Park with 13. Miller-Stevens was a catalyst on offense, dishing out nine assists and hauling in three offensive rebounds, and sophomore Stacy Filocco came off the bench to score in double figures with 10 points.
Wellesley was paced by sophomore forward Jessica Duff, who finished with 21 points and was the only player on the Blue to score in double figures. Freshman guard Kate Mortare filled up the stat line with six points, seven rebounds and five steals, but also was the biggest offender in turnovers with nine.
This was the sixth win in a row for the squad, while Wellesley fell back to earth after three straight wins. The game was Tufts' final challenge of the semester, with no games on the schedule until Dec. 30, when it will travel to Worcester to take on Plattsburg in the WPI Invitational. The Jumbos head into the recess with a 6-1 record, bolstered by a string of great performances.
"I think we are very confident, but we also talked about how we really have to keep in shape over the break," Miller-Stevens said. "It's crucial for us not only to get to the gym but to play over these next couple of weeks. We understand we have to work hard and keep in shape for when we come back."
