Worcester State Hangs In Against #18 Tufts, 67-58

(Courtesy Tufts University Sports Information)

MEDFORD – The #18 Tufts women’s basketball team had all it could handle against upset-minded Worcester State College on Thursday night. The Jumbos improved to 15-1 overall and finished their non-conference slate at 14-0 by taking a 67-58 victory over the Lancers (4-11) at Cousens Gym.

Visiting Worcester State had a 23-13 lead in the first half before Tufts rallied to take a 30-28 lead at intermission. Worcester then hung around in the second half and led 53-52 at the eight-minute mark before Tufts pulled away down the stretch.

Tufts dominated the boards in the game, especially on the offensive glass. The Jumbos finished with a 44-25 advantage overall, and had 23 offensive rebounds. Senior co-captain Khalilah Ummah (Litchfield, ME) led the winners with 14 rebounds and 20 points.

Worcester shot 52.2 percent (12/23) in the first half when they were led by 10 points from senior tri-captain Lindsay DelleChiaie (Leominster, MA). After falling behind 23-13, the Jumbos used a 14-2 run to take a 27-25 lead on a jumper by sophomore Julia Baily (Farmington, CT) with 2:20 to play until halftime. Free throws by junior Katie Tausanovitch (Lyme, NH) with 22 seconds remaining gave Tufts their edge at the break. Ummah had eight’s in points and rebounds at the half.

The game remained very tight for most of the second half. Worcester had a 40-38 lead on a three-pointer by first-year Kathleen Foley (Hudson, NH) at 15:15. The score would be tied five times over the next five minutes of play. DelleChiaie’s three-pointer put Worcester up 53-52, but Tufts scored the next four by Ummah and Tausanovitch to lead 56-53 and would not trail again.

After a lay-up by DelleChiaie made it 56-55 Tufts at the six-minute mark, the Jumbos spurted 6-0 to earn a 62-55 advantage following two free throws by sophomore Casey Sullivan (Berlin, CT) at 4:28. A three-point play by first-year Becca Giguere (West Brookfield, MA) pulled the visitors within 62-58, but they went cold in the final minutes and did not score again.

Six-footers Ummah and Tausanovitch proved too much for the Lancers under the basket, as the latter finished with 14 points and eight rebounds. First-year point guard Colleen Hart (Needham, MA) had nine points, five rebounds and three assists for the winners, who were just 3 for 18 from long range (16.7 percent). First-year guard Lindsay Weiner (Rockville, MD) was a key player in the second half and finished with eight points and three steals.

DelleChiaie was the game-high scorer with 22 points, hitting 8 of 17 shots including four threes. Senior tri-captain Maureen Lemay (Nashua, NH) and sophomore Bri Flanders (Southampton, MA) both added 10 points to the Worcester attack, with Lemay’s four assists ending the most in the game.
 

 Box Score