The No. 7 ranked Tufts women’s basketball team emerged from this past weekend’s games undefeated, extending its current win streak to five games, and its overall record to 16–2. The Jumbos picked up wins at home against Bowdoin, Colby and Smith College. Displaying a new level of cohesion, the Jumbos played unselfish basketball and followed their recipe for success.
“[The team] has this understanding that the team is bigger than us as just individuals, and I feel like we really showed that this weekend,” graduate student guard and co-captain Erin Poindexter-McHan said.
Tufts kicked off the weekend defeating NESCAC rival Bowdoin 69–47 on Friday. Led by a game-high 19 points from Poindexter-McHan, the Jumbos shot 40.9% from beyond the arc and dished out 18 assists. Sophomore forward Maggie Russell was also a huge part of the lineup, logging an 18-point, 14-rebound double-double.
On Sunday, another NESCAC rival came into Cousens Gymnasium: Colby. The Jumbos once again reigned victorious with a score of 89–75 on Senior Day. Poindexter-McHan said that while a win on Senior Day is always special, it was extra special for her as a graduate senior.
“It made me reflect on past classes that I've been a part of: 2021 with Emily Briggs, Lilly Bolen, Katie Butler and of course, Angela [Alibrandi], who's also a grad student this year,” Poindexter-McHan said. “It also made me reflect on the seniors from two years ago whose season also got cut short during COVID ... so the win was also for them.”
The Jumbos were led by first-year guard Annika Decker, who had 18 points, three rebounds and five assists in one of the best outings of her emerging Tufts career. Tufts dominated the game statistically, shooting 50% from the field and an astonishing 66.7% from behind the arc, as well as out-rebounding Colby 40-27 and logging 22 assists.
“It's all about reading the defense and what's happening in the game,” said Head Coach Jill Pace when speaking to the Jumbos’ 22 assists. “I'm just super proud of our players who are playing really unselfishly and finding that next pass.”
In the most competitive of the three games, Tufts took down non-conference foe Smith College 78–69. Led by Russell and senior forward and co-captain Sofia Rosa’s 17 points apiece, the Jumbos used ball movement and efficient scoring to dispatch a nationally ranked opponent. In a highly competitive game, neither team was able to break away until the fourth quarter. Poindexter-McHan spoke to the importance of staying engaged and sticking to their game plan.
“Our team is really focused on winning each moment and falling back again to our scout and our game plan”, Poindexter-McHan said.
Despite success over the weekend, the Jumbos played without senior guard and co-captain Molly Ryan, who has been a crucial part of the lineup all season averaging 16.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. While the absence of Ryan is a blow to the lineup, Pace sees it as an opportunity for other players to step up.
With four regular-season games remaining until the NESCAC tournament, the Jumbos travel to Trinity tonight. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
