The women's basketball team is in the midst of a dominant stretch, during which it has routinely routed non?conference foes. That trend continued at Cousens Gym on Tuesday night when the Jumbos trounced the Emerson Lions in convincing fashion, 71?32 for their sixth straight victory.
After getting off to a slow start, the Jumbos broke the game open with a 31?4 run in the final 12 minutes of the first half. Freshman guard Hannah Foley led a balanced scoring attack with six points in the opening frame. As a team, the Jumbos out?rebounded the Lions 27?12 in the first 20 minutes, boxing out their foes on both ends of the floor.
The Jumbos carried that momentum into the second half, extending their lead to 61?21 before head coach Carla Berube pulled her starters for good.
"We never want to come out of a game," senior forward Kate Barnosky said. "It's definitely nice to get a rest, though, and get other players out there who maybe don't see as much playing time."
When it was all said and done, junior guard Bre Dufault led the team in scoring with 14 points. Foley added eight rebounds, while sophomore guard Caitlin McClure tallied a season?high six steals. Junior forward Olivia DiNucci was the Lions' high?scorer on the night with seven points.
Every Jumbo who stepped on the floor on Tuesday night found the bottom of the net. This balanced scoring attack has helped the team throughout the first part of the season, and they will look to maintain a similar approach against tougher competition.
"I think that the team this year is very versatile on the offensive and defensive end," senior guard Tiffany Kornegay said. "The fact that everyone has something they can bring to the table motivates us to work hard and get better. It's different from past years when we had a stand?out offensive threat and defensive threat. This year we really focus on communicating and working together so we can get the job done."
The team's run?and?gun style of play has paid dividends to date. The Jumbos have scored 70 or more points in five of their eight games, ranking as one of the most potent offensive teams in the conference. If Kornegay and McClure continue to rack up the steals and create fast?break opportunities, there is no telling how good this team can be.
The Jumbos, who have been firing on all cylinders as of late, will not face a NESCAC opponent until Jan. 2, when they match up with Middlebury in the Maine Maritime Tournament. Until then, the team is looking to clean up its miscues and build chemistry on the court.
"It's hard maintaining focus when you're beating a team by so many points, so you have to trick yourself into thinking that the game is tied 0?0, especially at the beginning of the second half," Kornegay said. "Getting better every day in practice and games is our only option because the level of competition is going to double once we start conference play."
With Tuesday's loss, the Lions dropped to 3?5 on the year and extended their current losing streak to five games. They will return home to take on a struggling Endicott squad on a Thursday night.
Tufts, meanwhile, extended their winning streak to six games. In those contests, the Jumbos' average margin of victory is just over 24 points. Their next test will come on Saturday when they battle Bridgewater State at 4 p.m. in Cousens Gym.
"We're playing well right now," Barnosky said. "The key for us is to maintain this focus, and come out each and every game ready to play our game, regardless of the opponent."
