Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Monday, April 28, 2025
The Print Edition
Donate | About | Join Us
Advertise | Submit a Tip
Subscribe to our newsletters

Basketball

The Setonian
Basketball

Women's Basketball | Moynihan's buzzer-beater sends Tufts to Sweet 16

March 9

Senior tri-captain Liz Moynihan finished Saturday's NCAA Round-of-32 contest against the University of New England shooting 1 for 9 from the field. The one shot she converted was the game's most important: a 25-foot 3-point buzzer beater that gave her team a 57-54 overtime victory and catapulted the Jumbos into the tournament's Sweet 16 round next weekend.

The Setonian
Basketball

Women's Basketball | Tufts secures first ever NESCAC title

March 2

In a season filled with accomplishments, the women's basketball team reached its most impressive mileston yet Sunday by capturing the program's first ever NESCAC title and securing a perfect season in con- ference play with its 62-46 victory over second-seeded Amherst. Before advancing to Sunday's finals, Tufts first had to take care of business on Saturday in the semifinal game against a Trinity squad that had won six straight games. From the opening tip, the Bantams proved the game would be a fight to the finish. Tied at four points early in the game, Tufts went ahead 8-4 on back-to-back buckets from juniors Hannah Foley and Hayley Kanner. The teams traded baskets for much of the opening frame, with nei- ther squad able to assert any type of control over the contest. Freshman center Michela North's traditional three-point play with 9:13 remaining in the half gave the Jumbos a 21-15 edge, their largest lead of the half. But every time it looked like Tufts might pull away, Trinity had an answer. The Bantams orchestrated a 10-4 run of their own to knot the game at 25-25 with 4:22 left. The Jumbos then finished the half on a 6-2 spurt to head into the break with a slim 31-27 lead. Tufts struggled from beyond the arc all afternoon, shooting a dismal 0-11 from distance in the first half, while hitting only 2-8 in the second half. Tufts' poor 3-point shooting kept Trinity in the game, but Tufts' depth ultimately proved too much to handle. Desperately holding on to a tight 40-38 lead with 12:53 left, Tufts went on a 12-3 run over the next 8:49, sparked by five criti- cal points from sophomore reserve guard Emma Roberson. The short burst extend- ed the Jumbos' lead to eleven points and essentially put the game out of reach. Tufts finished the game strong on the defensive end and held off Trinity to secure a 57-47 victory, ensuring that Tufts would host another game on Sunday. The team had little time to revel in Saturday's victory before taking the floor Sunday against second-seeded Amherst in front of a packed house at Cousens Gym, with the NESCAC title on the line. "It was amazing playing in front of our fans," senior forward Ali Rocchi said. "It's definitely one of the perks of hosting the NESCAC tournament. Our fans are always extremely supportive and fun to play in front of." The Jumbos had hosted the Lord Jeffs back on Jan. 17, a contest that saw the Jumbos earn a hard-fought 63-65 victory. "I think getting to play them on our home court earlier in the year and having that win under our belt definitely gave us confidence that we could beat them," junior point guard Kelsey Morehead said. "It was a big win for us, but that was the middle of the season and we knew Amherst would be strong now," Rocchi added. "We scouted them in the little time we had and made sure to pay attention to the different personnel and little details for today's game." On Sunday, Amherst jumped out to an early 5-0 lead, silencing the home crowd in the early going. Looking for an offensive spark, head coach Carla Berube decided to put North in the game earlier than usual, and the move paid quick dividends. North finished with 14 rebounds and 10 points, including a layup that capped an 8-3 run and knotted the game at eight. The teams then traded baskets before Tufts, sparked by a 3-pointer and pair of free throws from Kanner, rallied off nine straight points to pull ahead 19-10 and take control of the game. The Jumbos finished the half shooting a lowly 29 percent from the field, but relied on their energy and defensive intensity to hold on to a 29-22 advantage at intermission. "Honestly, you don't really feel fatigue in the game because there's so much adrenaline, you have the crowds behind you and you're just in the moment," said Morehead, who played all 40 minutes of Sunday's contest. The Lord Jeffs hung around for much of the second half, but never got over the hump, clawing within eight twice before the Jumbos pulled ahead by double- digits again. Kanner led the Jumbos with a game-high 21 points, while Morehead, North and senior tri-captain Liz Moynihan each pitched in with ten each. But as has been the story for most of the season, the Jumbos' defense stole the show. Tufts held Amherst to 29 percent shooting from the field and outrebounded the visitors by four. Sunday's contest was retribution for Tufts' failures in its previous two conference final showdowns against Amherst in 2012 and 2008. With the NESCAC title under their belts, the Jumbos will now turn their attention to the NCAA tournament. Expectations are high. "We're still soaking in today's win, but we know what's ahead," Rocchi said. "I think it's exciting to have an automatic NCAA berth. At this point, we have a day off but we're right back at it on Tuesday with practice. We have a very talented group of girls, and we're excited by the opportunities we've had and will continue to have this postseason."  

The Setonian
Basketball

Men's Basketball | Overtime battle spells end for Jumbos

February 23

The seventh seed visiting men's basketball team played a near-perfect 40 minutes of regulation against second seed Williams at Chandler Gym in the NESCAC quarterfinals matchup on Saturday. The Jumbos, however, could not be perfect for all 45 minutes. 

The Setonian
Basketball

Women's Basketball | Jumbos through to NESCAC semifinals

February 23

As junior guard Hannah Foley went to the line to shoot two free throws, all memory of last year's quarterfinal loss to Bowdoin was erased. The women's basketball team routed Wesleyan 74-46 this past weekend, keeping their bid for their first ever NESCAC Championship alive.

The Setonian
Basketball

Men's Basketball | Haladyna takes home Player of the Week honors

February 23

 Following game-winning performances against Colby and Bowdoin last weekend that saw Tufts into the NESCAC playoffs, sophomore Stephen Haladyna was rewarded with NESCAC Player of the Week honors on Feb. 17. The sophomore was the first Jumbo to be recognized on the men's team this season, and the first to win the award since teammate Ben Ferris on Jan. 16, 2012.

The Setonian
Basketball

Men's Basketball | Jumbos stave off Bobcats to earn first conference win

January 26

Gut-check time came for the Tufts men's basketball team on Saturday with less than six minutes remaining against Bates at Cousens Gym. In desperate need of a win after dropping their first three NESCAC games, the Jumbos led the Bobcats by as many as 16 points with 13 minutes remaining. But that lead dwindled over a seven-minute span.

The Setonian
Basketball

Men's Basketball | Tufts drops two home NESCAC contests

January 22

After winning five of its first six games in November, the Tufts men's basketball team has now dropped seven of its last nine contests and is tied for last place in the NESCAC. After dropping their first conference game at Middlebury, the Jumbos lost matchups at home against Amherst and Trinity on Friday and Saturday.

The Setonian
Basketball

Men's Basketball | Jumbos swallow up Pride in home opener

November 21

For the first time in the NESCAC playoff era, which began in 2000, the men's basketball team is 3-0. So far, it's looked easy. The Jumbos have won their first three games by an average margin of 23 points, and they cruised past the Regis Pride, 88-69, on Tuesday night in their home opener at Cousens Gym.

The Setonian
Basketball

Women's Basketball | Jumbos gear up for one more showdown with Amherst

March 7

 Tufts enters this weekend two wins away from the program's first-ever trip to the Final Four. But the team's focus is squarely on their game tonight, a rivalry matchup with Amherst whose importance transcends the NCAA Tournament. A victory would not only put the Jumbos in position to contest for a National Championship, but would also turn six years of heartbreak and disappointment at the hands of the Lord Jeffs on its head.

The Setonian
Basketball

Women's Basketball | Jumbos to kick off NCAA Championship at home

February 25

The women's basketball team will this weekend host first-and-second round games in the NCAA tournament for its second straight season. On Friday, the No. 11 Jumbos will face off against St. Lawrence at Cousens Gymnasium, with No. 17 Babson College taking on New Paltz State immediately after. The winners of the two games will play on Saturday night for a place in the Sweet 16.

Trending
The Tufts Daily Crossword with an image of a crossword puzzle
The Print Edition
Tufts Daily front page