POST GAME INTERVIEWS

MEDFORD, Mass.—The record-setting Skidmore College women's basketball team had its dream season come to an end Saturday evening when another valiant comeback fell just short in a 59-50 loss at #18/21 Tufts University in the NCAA Tournament second round. The Thoroughbreds finish with a 23-6 record, while the Jumbos move on to the "Sweet 16" at 23-6.

• Coach Jessica Turner: "I am incredibly proud of my team. They fought until the very end through 40 minutes of adversity, and I am so proud of them. We did it all season. Unfortunately, today we came up a little short. That's a very, very good Tufts team and I am proud of the way we competed today."
• Julia Blanck continued to establish herself as one of the nation's top players with 19 rebounds, five blocks and nine points. Amelia Medolla scored a team-high 11 points and Kate McCarney added 10 points.
• NESCAC Player of the Year Maggie Russell scored 23 points and had 16 rebounds and four assists to lead Tufts. Sofia Gonzalez contributed 14 points.
• Tufts hit its first four three-point attempts to open a 22-14 first quarter lead. Medolla helped the Thoroughbreds keep pace with a pair of threes of her own. Russell scored eight of her 23 points in the opening stanza for the Jumbos.

• Skidmore opened the second quarter with a quick five points from McCarney field goal and a Sarah Chambers three to drop the lead to 22-19 at the 7:59 mark. The Jumbos went on an 18-5 run that Medolla ended with a buzzer beating three at the half, leaving Tufts in front 40-27.
• In the first half, the Jumbos shot a lofty 51.7% from the floor (15-29), including 55.6% (5-9) from beyond the arc. The Thoroughbreds were 10-32 (31.3%) and 4-12 (33.3%).
• Skidmore slowed Tufts down in the third quarter, outscoring the Jumbos 12-8 to get to within nine, 48-39.
• The Thoroughbreds continued to chip away in the fourth quarter. Andi Levitz hit a second-chance three-pointer to cut the lead to 50-46 with 1:46 to play. Gonzalez came back with an old fashion three-pointer with 1:24 left to push the score to 53-46.
• A lot of free throws over the final 90 seconds, with Cassie Davidson and Madison Meyer going 2-2 each for the Thoroughbreds.
• Russell hit five of six free throws and Joelle Zelony was 1-2 for Tufts for the 59-50 final.
• Playing in its third NCAA tournament, the Thoroughbreds advanced to the second round for the first time in program history with a 62-59 win over Johns Hopkins. The team's 23 wins are the most in more than 45 years of varsity play.