Anything is possible in NESCAC this weekend, as all 10 teams lace up their sneakers and charge the floor to try to ensure themselves the best position possible heading into the playoffs next weekend.
With back-to-back home games for the first time in nearly a month, the women's basketball team hopes the home-court will give it the advantage it needs to win the last two competitions on its regular-season schedule and finish the season at .500.
The Jumbos will complete their regular season with matchups against NESCAC rivals Trinity this evening and Amherst on Saturday afternoon. Currently tied for sixth place with Trinity and Middlebury, the team desperately needs a strong showing to guarantee itself a spot in the NESCAC tournament, which begins on Feb. 18.
Only eight of the 10 teams in the league will qualify for the postseason, and with everyone competing in at least one game this weekend, a few upsets could certainly shake up the standings.
"These are important games for us - we're all tied [with Middlebury and Trinity] - we want to go into the playoffs in the best position we can," senior tri-captain Jessica Powers said. "We know we're competing against the teams [this weekend] that we'll be actually playing [in the NESCAC tournament]. This is huge."
Bates, Bowdoin and Williams, all tied for first place at 6-1, will be battling for the regular-season title, while Connecticut College and Colby, occupying the last two spots in the league with one win apiece, will be trying to avert an early end to their seasons.
Overall, the 7-13 Trinity Bantams have a poorer record than the Jumbos, but they will pose a challenge to coach Carla Berube's team. Junior forward Sarah Cox, recently named NESCAC Player of the Week, will need to be monitored by a scrappy Jumbo defense to avoid the 18.1 points and 5.7 rebounds she averages each game.
"We need to come out on fire, ready to take on Trinity," Berube said. "We need great team defense; it won't fall on one person's shoulders. I'm sure [Cox is] a great player who knows how to score the ball, and we'll do what we can to try to stop her."
Both weekend opponents have compiled stronger offensive numbers than the Jumbos this season. The Bantams are second in the league in free-throw percentage at 72 percent, whereas the Jumbos sit dead-last in that category at 60 percent. And the 9-11 Amherst Lord Jeffs are second in the league in field goal percentage, shooting a consistent 41 percent from the floor, while Tufts is ninth in the league at 36 percent.
But once the teams hit the hardwood at Cousens Gym, none of the numbers will matter.
"We need to focus on playing tough defense and getting in the lanes," Powers said. "We've been throwing in a match-up 3-2 zone, mixing it up to throw teams off-guard, and looking to press. We need to concentrate on stopping penetration and doubling in the post when we have to."
Before Saturday's matinee, Tufts will honor senior tri-captains Katherine Miller, Powers, and Julia Verplank for their four years of contributions on the court. The three will hope to combine forces and bring the Jumbos a crucial victory to propel them into the tournament.
"We're taking one game at a time," junior forward Libby Park said. "We're looking for a win. It's crunch time and we certainly need as many wins as we can get."
