After a tough loss last week to Eastern Conn. State, the women's basketball team bounced back with a 54-51 victory over nonconference foe Brandeis on Sunday afternoon in Cousens Gym.
"Brandeis is a big rival of ours," senior tri-captain guard Colleen Hart said. "They beat us the last time we played them at Tufts, so we knew it was going to be a pretty big game."
Hart was right about the intensity of the match-up. Dealing with a substantial height disadvantage against the Judges, it looked at halftime like the Jumbos were on their way to a repeat defeat. Brandeis had a 26-19 lead at the half, thanks in large part to 11 points from junior guard Morgan Kendrew.
Brandeis continued to pull away early in the second half. With only 14 minutes left in the game, the Jumbos faced their largest deficit — a 10-point Judges lead at 35-25 following a lay-up from senior guard Mia DePalo.
But the Jumbos refused to roll over. With a three-pointer from Hart, and two baskets in a row from junior guard Tiffany Kornegay, Tufts was back in the game, trailing by only two — 39-37 — with 7:25 left in the game.
Soon after, the Jumbos worked their way to 41-41.
"We came back late in the second half," sophomore forward Collier Clegg said. "We kept our composure and stayed very positive the whole time. That energy brought us back."
The Judges broke the tie by throwing down their collective gavel, jumping back to a 46-41 lead with just over four minutes left to play.
But Tufts, led by Hart's 22 points, kept up its energy level and worked its way back into the lead. With 50 seconds on the clock, the Jumbos found themselves on top 52-48 after Hart sunk two from the free-throw line, where she was a perfect six-for-six on the night. The Jumbos held on to the lead to seal a hard-earned comeback win.
The victory over Brandeis marked a refreshing turn of events after last Sunday, when Tufts lost by 14 points to Eastern Conn. State, trailing for the final 38 minutes of the contest.
"It was encouraging, because we were down last week, and we found ourselves in a similar situation today," Hart added. "But this time we were able to turn it around."
With three games now under their belt, the Jumbos are starting to hit their stride. Despite losing key players from last year's roster to graduation and injury, the young Tufts team is working well together and establishing itself as a formidable competitor.
"We are definitely starting to come together," said Clegg, who transferred this year from Colorado College. "It's hard because we are such a young team, and as a transfer, I am still finding my place on the court. This game really showed us where we are at."
Hart and Clegg both made big efforts on Sunday. Hart contributed six rebounds and four assists to go along with her team-leading 22 points. Clegg also added six boards to an impressive 14 points — her season high. Kornegay led the defensive effort with five defensive rebounds.
"I am confident now that our offense will come through, despite a slow start," Hart said. "This game was really a tribute to our defense too. We really shut them down. Tiff [Kornegay] had some big stops."
The Jumbos hope to keep their newfound unity intact as they move closer to the 2011 start of their NESCAC schedule. But before it can worry about conference rivals, Tufts must focus on non-conference Salem State tonight in Salem, Mass. The Jumbos last year easily handled the Vikings 79-50 on the then newly-renovated Cousens court. Kornegay led the team with 12 points and a record-breaking seven steals.
The junior's improvements over the last season, along with the addition of Clegg and a renewal of Hart's shooting, point to a likely Tufts victory that would move the Jumbos' record to 3-1.
