CMS Women's Basketball Falls to No. 21 Tufts

CLAREMONT, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's basketball team got 17 points from senior forward Mary Markaryan, but 21st-ranked Tufts, which reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament last year, was able to pull away for a 90-58 win on Friday at Roberts Pavilion.

Tufts, which has been to the Elite Eight seven times since 2014, including the Final Four in four straight seasons (2014-17), moves to 7-3 on the year. CMS sees its record fall to 1-9.

The Athenas hung tough early on, trailing 23-18 after the first quarter, and pulling within 25-22 on a jumper from Tanya Ghai. However, Tufts went on a 12-0 run to pull ahead 37-22 and ended up with 30 points in the second quarter as it took a 53-32 lead into the break. 

Markaryan's 17 points was one off of her career high, which she has set twice this month in games against Whitworth and Chapman. Ghai and Kayla Ishibashi each finished with 11 points for the Athenas. 

Maggie Russell led all scorers for Tufts with 20 points, while also adding eight rebounds and six assists. The Jumbos shot 12-21 from three-point territory, while the Athenas were unable to connect from long range on the day (0-14). 

CMS will be back in action tomorrow when it takes on Wheaton (Ill.) for a 3 p.m. contest. That game will be the second half of a doubleheader with the CMS men's basketball team, which plays Pacific Lutheran at 1 p.m., which could result in a delayed start time if the first game runs late.