Tufts forced 15 turnovers and outscored No. 4 Smith 42-31 in the middle quarters, pulling off one of the biggest upsets of the 2025-26 season, defeating the previously undefeated Bears 60-57 in nonconference play from Cousens Gymnasium on Tuesday night.
The win marks the first victory over a top four team since the Jumbos topped Amherst on Jan. 18, 2020, when the Jumbos were ranked No. 1 in the country while Amherst was No. 4. It also marked the second straight season that an unranked Jumbo team defeated a Top 10 Smith team, as Tufts topped the Bears 60-50 last season when Smith was No. 7 in the country. Tufts has now won eight of the last 10 against Smith from 2000.
Tufts (9-8) trailed 11-6 after the opening stanza, but exploded for 28 points in the second frame as the Jumbos went 10-of-16 (62.5 percent) from the floor in the period. The hot shooting, including 5-for-7 from three-point land. With the score tied at 19 with 5:40 left in the first half, sophomore Abi Stone hit a layup followed by a three-pointer from Annie Aspesi to push Tufts ahead by five at 24-19.
The Jumbos held the lead for the remainder of the first half and took a 34-31 lead at halftime.
In the third quarter, Tufts led by two with just under five minutes to play at 37-35, but the Jumbos went on an 8-2 run to take an eight-point lead on a jumper from freshman Tessa Losner. An Annie Aspesi 3-pointer pushed the Jumbos back by eight just before the end of the third quarter, as the hosts took a 48-42 lead in the final stanza after two free throws from Smith with 0.2 seconds left in the period.
| Tessa Lozner was one of four Jumbos in double figures in the Tufts’ win over Smith. Tufts athletics photo |
Tuft’s lead grew to as many as nine with 2:54 left in regulation after a Stone layup, but Smith wouldn’t go away as he scored six straight points over the next 1:35 to get within three at 57-54. After both teams missed chances, Tufts reached the free throw line with 22 seconds left and Aspesi knocked down two to make it 59-54.
Salem Maher hit a three-pointer for Smith six seconds later, and the Bears fouled out, sending the Jumbos to the line. Tufts missed both free throws, but Claire Kolkhorst knocked the rebound off a Smith player to keep possession for the Jumbos. Stone was fouled on the ensuing impact and hit the second free throw to keep it a one-score game.
After the missed free throw, Smith had two attempts from three-point range to tie the game, but neither went as the Jumbos held on for the upset.
Aspesi kept her recent strong play going with another great performance as she finished with 16 points, six rebounds and three steals. Stone finished with 16 points off the bench and made six of her seven field goals, and Lozner added 11 points and three assists.
Kolkhorst also had a solid and productive game, with 10 points and six rebounds, three steals and solid defense.
The Jumbos shot 37.7 percent for the game and were 14 of 23 from the free throw line (60.9 percent). Tufts also had a huge second-chance advantage, going 15-2 in that category.
Virginia Johnson scored 15 points for the Bears (14-1), while Maher also scored 10 points in the loss. Smith was 21 of 45 (46.7 percent) from the field and was 10 of 11 at the line (90.9 percent).
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