BRUNSWICK, ME (February 17, 2024) - The Tufts University women's basketball team took on Bowdoin College at Morell Gymnasium on the campus of Bowdoin College in the NESCAC (New England Small College Athletic Conference Quarterfinal. The Jumbos lost 78-60. Senior
Maggie Russell put up a team-leading 17 points.
The Jumbos (11-13) came into the quarterfinals as the eighth seed in the tournament and the Polar Bears were the first seed. The Polar Bears started the game with a layup by Sidney Jones. Russell would answer with a layup of her own to tie the game at two in the opening stanza. The Polar Bears would then go on a 14-2 run starting with a Jones layup and ending with freshman
Stella Galanes dropping in a layup to put the score at 18-6 in the Polar Bears' favor. The Jumbos would answer themselves by going on an 11-7 run started by a Russell layup, Russell also ended the quarter with a layup. At the end of the first quarter the hosts led by ten, 27-17. Russell led the Jumbos in the first quarter with 11 points and going 5-7 from field goal range.
The second quarter started with a three-pointer from junior Sophia Gonzalez to cut the deficit to seven. The rest of the second quarter the Polar Bears took over with their lead getting as big as 19 towards the end of the quarter. Senior
Callie O'Brien finished the quarter with nine points. The Jumbos went 5-19 in the second from field goal range and finished the half with nine rebounds. The Polar Bears would lead 48-31 going into halftime.
In the second half, the Polar Bears didn't go away as they brought their lead up to 31. The Jumbos went 3-16 in the third. In the fourth quarter, the Jumbos brought the Polar Bears lead to 18 with Galanes recording eight points in the quarter. Sophomore
Sophia Davis and Russell finished the game with a team-leading 5 rebounds, Russell also added two blocks in the game.
Russell had a very impressive year for the Jumbos finishing the season with 460 points, which now makes her the second all-time scorer in program history passing Collen Hart '11 with 1460 career points. Russell will also pass Jodi Beach '95 in career rebounds finishing with 729 rebounds.
