The Middlebury women's basketball team suffered a 68-59 loss at Tufts on Saturday. The teams were knotted at 50 points apiece early in the fourth quarter, but the Jumbos pulled away late and despite a hefty comeback bid, the Panthers fell short. 
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• Tufts came out of the gates strong, scoring seven of the first nine points to take a 7-2 lead with 1:55 expired.
• Trailing 10-5 with 6:31 remaining, a three-pointer by Alexa Mustafaj sparked a 7-3 burst, as the Panthers cut the deficit to one (13-12) with a pair of charity tosses from Mustafaj.
• The teams went back and forth for the rest of the quarter, before a free throw by Caitlyn O'Boyle gave the Jumbos a 21-16 edge at the break.
• Tufts tallied the first basket of the second frame, before Middlebury rattled off eight unanswered points. Brooke Collins capped the run with a shot from beyond the arc, giving the Panthers a 24-23 advantage at the 5:26 mark.
• The teams continued to trade baskets, before a three from Joelle Zelony gave the Jumbos a 32-31 edge heading into intermission.
• The third quarter started much like the second. After Tufts converted a single free throw, Middlebury tallied nine-consecutive points. Augusta Dixon had seven points during the stretch, giving the Panthers a 40-33 lead at the 6:08 mark.
• The Jumbos responded with a 13-2 run over the ensuing 4:46, taking a 46-42 edge with just over a minute to go.
• Back-to-back three-pointers from Gabby Stuart and Bethany Lucey sandwiched around a Tufts free throw gave Middlebury a 48-47 edge heading into the final frame.
• Knotted 50-50 with 8:01 to go, the Jumbos rattled off nine of the next 10 points to take a 59-51 lead.
• The Panthers were forced to foul down the stretch, but Tufts converted seven charity tosses for the 68-59 triumph.

NOTES

• Today's game was the 34th meeting between the two teams.

 
The Panthers wrap up the regular season with four-consecutive home games beginning on Friday, February 3 when they host Wesleyan at 7:00 p.m.