“Every NESCAC opponent is a battle,” Jumbos’ junior guard Stella Galanes wrote in a message to the Daily.
That sentiment rang true Saturday as Tufts faced off against NESCAC opponent Colby. Although Colby entered the game following a victory over Connecticut College and Tufts came in after a loss to Bowdoin, the game took place in Medford, where Tufts has historically capitalized on home-court advantage against Colby — losing only once in the past 25 years before this game.
The Mules gained possession at the opening tip and raced towards the Jumbos' basket, but the Jumbos quickly proved they wouldn’t make things easy for the Mules. Tufts’ guards held off the Colby offense with mirror-like defense and controlled the rebound after Colby’s first shot attempt. When Colby finally scored, Tufts answered immediately before Colby tied the game again. The scoreboard didn’t stay at 4–4 for long, though, as the Jumbos applied heavy pressure in the paint, firing passes around the basket. The Mules’ defense fought to push the Jumbos out of scoring position, but the teams traded buckets, bringing the score to 6–6 just minutes into the first quarter.
Shortly thereafter, Tufts committed the game’s first personal foul, sending Colby to the line for two free throws and an 8–6 lead. Fouls continued to be exchanged, and Tufts responded with a three-point play to regain a one-point advantage. This didn’t last long, though, as the score board began to quickly turn in Colby’s favor with them making rapid-fire shots on goal: 11–9, 13–9. The Jumbos fought through contact to score, making it 13–11 and earning them a free throw after a foul was called.
Tufts continued to showcase its shooting ability, attacking the basket and putting pressure on Colby’s defense. Personal fouls and free throws were traded throughout the quarter with mixed success, and by the time the first-period buzzer sounded, the score stood at 19–17.
At the start of the second quarter, Tufts senior guard Annie Aspesi made her presence felt, weaving through defenders in the paint and taking shots at the basket. Sophomore forward Abi Stone followed suit, catching a touch pass and chucking it into the net before being fouled.
Despite these efforts, Colby managed to sneak in a couple of baskets by the Jumbo defense, extending its lead to 21–17, then 23–17.
Undeterred, the Jumbos responded with renewed energy. Aspesi, Stone and freshman guard Abby Congdon chipped away at the deficit as the teams exchanged buckets and free throws. Eventually, the score got tied up to 28–28, with the Jumbos nailing a free throw, and then sinking a three-pointer by Galanes. The shot, however, was later ruled a two-pointer, much to the chagrin of the Jumbo audience. The score was rectified as 30–31, after Colby scored on Tufts shortly after the call change.
The Jumbos played with heart throughout the second quarter, with Aspesi keeping a dribble alive even as she fell to the floor and Stone pushing toward a career-high point total. Despite visible frustration from players and fans over several officiating decisions, the game remained sportsmanlike, and the Jumbos went into the third quarter trailing 34–33.
Colby opened the third quarter with a three-pointer and quickly pulled away, extending its lead to 39–33. Colby then used a seal-off to score 41–33, a play that Tufts coaches argued involved a moving screen. The officials ruled the basket legal. A barrage of baskets from both teams followed, including a Tufts three-pointer from sophomore guard Claire Kolkhorst that cut the deficit to 43–41.
“I think we definitely have been making strides in our execution offensively, it really all comes back to the preparation and getting back to the basics of our stuff. In the NESCAC, every game is pretty heavily scouted so a lot will just depend on the ability to adapt and implement adjustments in the game,” Galanes wrote to the Daily.
A hard accidental collision between two players further ramped up tensions between the crowd and the referees, as no foul was called despite Colby fans believing it should have been. Colby maintained its momentum, extending the lead to 46–41 and holding off Tufts’ offense with hefty blocks. Still, the Jumbos stayed within striking distance, hitting another three pointer to make it 46–44.
Fouls continued to shape the game, with increasing protests from the crowd, as the Mules racked up 21 total over four quarters. Tufts fans disagreed with referee calls, and a dispute over the shot clock resulted in time being added back, drawing mixed reactions from players and fans. All the while, the score crept up — 48–44, 50–46, 50–48 — as the Jumbos pressed to close the gap. Several free throws helped the Jumbos pull within two, and the third quarter ended with the Mules leading 52–50.
The fourth period mirrored the intensity of the third, featuring frequent free throws and another three-pointer from Congdon, ticking up the score. Both teams fought out the game, responding in kind to each other’s points, refusing to let the other run away with the lead. Even as Tufts threatened to take the lead with three-point attempts, Colby managed to eke by with a 67–64 victory as the clock died.
“Obviously, we’re not satisfied with the outcome, but we’re eager to continue league play next weekend with another [two] competitive games,” Galanes wrote.
