MEDFORD, Mass. (courtesy Tufts sports information) – Brandeis University women's basketball senior Maria Jackson (Rochester, N.Y./Hilton) just missed her first double-double of the season with 10 points and nine rebounds, and the Judges (3-2) led top-ranked Tufts University, 15-12, after one period, but the host Jumbos pulled away for a 53-37 win today.

Junior forward Melissa Baptista tallied 17 points, 13 rebounds and seven blocks to lead the home team. Baptista went 6-for-10 from the field and 2-for-5 from 3-point range, while senior captain Michela North posted eight points, 10 rebounds and five blocks. North became the Jumbos' all-time rebounding leader (852) in the victory Sunday. 

The two squads struggled to get into any kind of rhythm on the offensive end of the floor, as the Jumbos shot 27.9 percent from the floor and the Judges shot 25 percent. The Jumbos were the victorious in the rebound battle by a small margin of seven, 52-45. 

The Jumbos (4-0), who forced 18 turnovers and totaled 10 steals, went up 4-0 with 6:48 left in the first quarter on a free throw by Baptista. The Judges controlled the rest of the frame, as they held a 15-8 advantage during the remainder of the first. The Judges claimed their largest lead of the contest, when senior guard Frankie Pinto (San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente) drilled a 3-pointer, giving the visitors a 15-11 lead with 1:04 left in the first.

The Jumbos responded by allowing two points in the second quarter. The Jumbos tallied 13 points in the second frame, as the squad took a 19-17 lead on a layup by North with 3:30 left in the half. Freshman guard Sadie Otley connected on a jumper with 11 seconds remaining, as Tufts took a 25-17 lead into the locker room.

The Jumbos extended their lead to 32-19 on a layup by Baptista with 6:59 left in the third quarter. The Judges did not allow the Jumbos to run away, as junior guard Eva Hart (Manasquan, N.J./Manasquan) connected on a layup with 1:26 left in the third, trimming the Jumbos lead to 35-28. 

A layup by senior guard Paris Hodges (Southampton, N.Y./Southampton) brought the visitors to within six, 41-35, with 3:21 remaining in the game. 

The Jumbos put an exclamation point on the contest, by finishing the game on a 12-2 spurt. Junior captain and point guard Lauren Dillon went a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line during the run, while Otley and sophomore guard Jacqueline Knapp both went 2-for-2 from the foul line. 

Brandeis returns to action Tuesday evening at 5:30 p.m. at Salem State.