Both the men's and women's basketball teams will take their shows on the road tonight, and both are at important junctures early in the season. The women are 2-2 and have a legitimate chance to win their final three games before the winter break.
The men, who have one more win than do the women, also play three more games before taking a break. And while these pre-conference matches do not factor into the NESCAC tournament rankings, they are not insignificant. Both squads have postseason aspirations, and if they can't get into the NCAA tournament by winning the NESCAC tournament, they will be at the mercy of the selection committee - which will certainly examine their early season performances.
Which leads both Jumbo teams to tonight's matchups, where they each face beatable squads, a welcome change after a difficult weekend. The women will travel to Regis College in Weston, Mass., and though the Beacons are no pushover, they are a far cry from the competition Tufts faced in New York this weekend.
Regis has lost at least four of its five games, and the last three haven't been close. Regis lost 70-36 to MIT, as no Beacon reached double figures in scoring. In the game, Kate Adams led the way with nine points.
After the MIT game, Regis lost to Emmanuel College, the third-ranked team in the nation, 72-23, and followed that up with a loss to Fitchburg St., 71-28.
Still, these lopsided scores don't mean that the Beacons should be taken lightly. In fact, taking an opponent lightly almost did Tufts in last Sunday, as the team escaped the consolation game of the Manhattanville Tournament with a one-point victory over City College of New York (CCNY). Intensity, especially at the beginning of the second half, is something the Jumbos must work on this week.
"We have been coming out flat," junior Erin Harrington said. "It's just a matter of pumping ourselves up."
Harrington's worry is a legitimate one, as second half letdowns have been a problem for the Jumbos in the early season. Last Tuesday, against Babson, Tufts was down four points four minutes into the second half before Babson went on a 21-6 run.
And against St. Lawrence, Tufts was down nine points at halftime - a respectable score against the fifth-ranked team in the nation - but managed only three points in the first 12 minutes of the second period.
In addition to being mentally lackadaisical, Tufts needs to improve its defensive intensity.
"We need to prevent letdowns on defense," Harrington said. "If we pick up our defense, we should be fine for the week."
Though Regis, Lasell, and Wheaton - Tufts' opponents on Thursday and Saturday - are all teams the Jumbos should defeat, the prospect of playing five games in eight days could lead to a tired group come the weekend. Fortunately for the Jumbos, coach Janice Savitz's team is deep at several positions. The bench could be key later in the week, then.
"Against CCNY [on Sunday], everyone played and everyone contributed," Harrington said. "That's what made it a good win."
Mental letdowns, lazy defense, and a busy schedule are not excuses for sweeping the week's three games.
"Our goal is to go into break 5-2," Harrington said. "We want to give it all this week and we can rest after that."
The men find themselves in a similar position to their female counterparts, staring down three games in the next six days. First up is the Babson Beavers, who won their first four games before dropping their most recent contest to Salem State, 70-69. This game could be a good omen for the Jumbos, as they beat Salem State 100-96 in overtime earlier in the season.
In Babson's most recent loss, Giles Weslie lead the way offensively, scoring 26 points in 29 minutes. Jeff Nicholson was the only other player in double figures, chipping in 13 points off the bench. He has been an effective reserve for the Beavers all season, averaging 10 points and four rebounds a game.
Aside from Weslie - the team's leading scorer -Tufts will have to worry about guard Jeff Hines, who averages 16 points, five rebounds, and five assists a game.
As is typically the case, the men will rely on outside shooting, and against a strong Babson team, the shooters will have to be on target. Tufts is also finding out that simply firing away from behind the three-point line won't get the job done. In the victories, especially the upset of Salem State, the Jumbos' three starting guards - sophomore Phil Barlow and juniors Brian Shapiro and Mike McGlynn - were patient and calculated in their attempts.
Tufts still managed to put up 27 three-pointers on the night, right around their average for the season, but they hit 48.1% of the long balls, and 53.5% of all field goals.
Even if the long-distance shooters aren't locked in, it doesn't mean all hopes are lost for the Jumbos. Freshman Craig Coupe has established himself as a positive presence inside, averaging 9.8 points and 5.6 rebounds in 17.8 minutes of play per contest. In addition, most of the team is quick enough to slash to the basket and create easier shots.
After the Babson game, the men will host MIT and Wheaton before taking their winter hiatus.
