Transitioning into NESCAC play, the women's basketball hardly missed a beat, continuing its early season success with a strong 6-1 showing over winter break.
The Jumbos entered the winter recess on a seven-game winning streak, including a convincing 74-35 victory over nonconference rival Bridgewater State on Dec. 10.
And after several practices following their return to campus, the Jumbos returned to the court for the first time in 2012 at the Maine Maritime Tournament. Tufts opened the tournament with a 42-point rout of the Middlebury Panthers in the semifinals, and the Jumbos edged out a 47-39 victory over the host Mariners in the championship game.
Tufts was led by the strong play of tournament MVP and junior co-captain forward BreDufault. In both games, the Jumbos also benefited from a stifling defense, which has become a trademark of coach Carla Berube's squads. They forced a combined 50 turnovers in the two-game tournament, which led to 56 points on offense.
"Defense has been the key for us," Dufault said. "We start with defense and we go from there. We try and focus on boxing out and getting all the fundamentals down."
The Jumbos then began their conference schedule on Jan. 6 with a weekend sweep of the Williams Ephs and Middlebury. Neither squad had an answer for the Jumbos' strength inside; Tufts outscored Williams and Middlebury by 10 and 14 points in the paint, respectively.
While senior guard Tiffany Kornegay had a strong individual performance against the Ephs, notching 13 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and three steals, 11 different Jumbos saw minutes and contributed to the victory in various ways.
"We really have great team chemistry, both on and off the court," senior co-captain forward Kate Barnosky said. "We are a tight knit team and that helps us bring intensity to the court every game."
After rattling off 11 victories in a row dating back to Nov. 22, the Jumbos surrendered their first loss of 2012 in heartbreaking fashion against Bowdoin on Jan. 13. In a back-and-forth game that featured 13 ties and 10 lead changes, Bowdoin freshman guard Sara Binkhorst hit a 3-pointer with 56 seconds left to give the Polar Bears a one-point lead. After a Dufault turnover, Bowdoin senior guard Jill Henrikson hit a fast break layup to seal the 57-56 victory.
The Jumbos had trouble containing Henrikson, a two-time All-NESCAC selection who erupted for 19 points and five rebounds on 60 percent shooting from the field. According to Dufault, the Jumbos were plagued by erratic play against the Polar Bears, and were unable to control the tempo of the game.
"I think we need to do everything with a little more consistency," she said. "We'll play great [defense] and then have a letdown. We'll be shooting well and then go cold."
After the tough loss to Bowdoin, Tufts bounced back nicely with a nine-point victory over visiting Colby. Barnosky, who finished with 14 points, four rebounds, and two assists, led the way for the Jumbos.
Freshman center Hayley Kanner also played well in the post, chipping in with 14 points, three rebounds, and one block. After trailing 26-22 at halftime, the Jumbos took their first lead of the second half with 14:30 remaining, as Kanner scored to give them a 33-31 edge.
The Jumbos would not trail for the remainder of the game. Aggressive defensive continued to be the key for the Jumbos, as they forced 19 turnovers and cashed them in for 18 points.
The Jumbos finished their winter break schedule by defeating local opponent Wheaton 65-44, outscoring the Lyons 15-0 on fast-break points, a playing style Tufts has favored all season.
"Our transition offense has been very important to us," Barnosky said. "We are focused on staying in shape and pushing each other when we scrimmage in practice. We want to be in better shape than our opponents so we can outrun them."
Looking ahead, the Jumbos have a crucial weekend of conference games ahead against Wesleyan and Conn. College, with the latter sitting one spot ahead of Tufts in the NESCAC standings.
"We have a chip on our shoulder and we want to crack that top 25 in the nation," Barnosky said. "We want to get after these NESCAC opponents and prove that we belong in the top 25."
