Box Score WILLIAMSTOWN, MA - The Tufts University Jumbos dropped their season opener to the fifth-ranked Babson College Beavers, 73-64, in game two of the Williams Tournament on Saturday evening at Chandler Gymnasium.
Although the game started off evenly matched, the Jumbos began to pull away in the final 10 minutes of the first half. When senior Kate Barnosky (Huntington Station, NY) made a three-pointer with the shot clock winding down to push the Jumbo lead to 29-20 with 6:50 to play, Babson was forced to call a timeout.
The Beavers were unable to score out of the timeout, but Barnosky missed the front end of a one-and-one, and Babson got the ball back. Senior Kathleen King (Framingham, MA) knocked down a shot from the right baseline, and first-year Erin Young (Westwood, MA) hit a long ball from the top left to cut the lead to four. Junior Collier Clegg (Evanston, IL), however, responded with a three of her own on the next Jumbo possession to push the lead back to seven.
With under a minute to play, senior Tiffany Kornegay (Carver, MA) got her own rebound and finished a layup for Tufts. Babson was unable to convert on their final possession of the half, and the Jumbos went into the locker room with the 39-30 lead.
Out of the break, Babson was aggressive offensively and rallied back from the nine-point deficit. After the Jumbos pushed the lead to 45-38 with just over 15 minutes to play, the Beavers started their run. Young nailed two three-pointers in a row to cut the lead to one. After sophomore Liz Moynihan (Storrs, CT) went one-for-two from the line to push the lead back to two for the Jumbos, King made a layup for the Beavers to tie the game up at 46.
The two teams traded hoops until Babson pulled away in the final 3:42 behind seven points – three layups and a free throw – from senior Nicki Wurdeman (Rowley, MA).
Wurdeman had a double-double for the Beavers with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Junior Sarah Collins (Weymouth, MA) also posted a double-double with 18 points and 14 rebounds. King added 19 points for Babson. The Beavers shot 44% from the field.
Leading the way for the Jumbos was Kornegay with 17 points. First-year Kelsey Morehead (Foster City, CA) added 15. Tufts shot 32% on the night.
The Jumbos will take on Whitman on Sunday afternoon in Williamstown in a 1 pm contest.
Game statistics
#
Game release courtesy of Williams College
