NORTHAMPTON - The No. 4 Smith basketball team continued its hot start to the 2023-24 season with a victory over visiting Husson University, 77-66, in Ainsworth Gymnasium on Sunday afternoon in the Tyler Tip-Off Tournament championship game. Ally Yamada (Seal Beach, Calif./Fairmont Prep Academy) (11 points) was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player, while Jessie Ruffner (Rocklin, Calif./Rocklin) was selected to the All-Tournament Team. Smith improves to 2-0 on the year, while the Eagles drop to 1-1. 

Inside the Numbers

• Ruffner finished with 19 points, seven assists, six rebounds, and two steals
• Amelia Clairmont (Laconia, N.H./New Hampton School) totaled 11 points on a perfect 4-of-4 shooting with three from long distance
• Jane Loo (Saratoga, CA/Saratoga) and Ella Sylvester (Everett, WA/Everett) each chipped in nine points off the bench
• The Pioneers led the way in rebounds (28-21) and points in the paint (44-22)
• Smith shot 54.5% (30-of-55) from the floor, 54.5% from three-point range, and 61.1% (11-of-18) from the free throw line
• Husson shot 41.5% (22-of-53) from the field, 37.5% (9-of-24) from behind the arc, and 76.5% (13-of-17) at the free throw line

Game Highlights

• A three-pointer followed by a good jumper by Trinity Montigny put Husson ahead 5-2 just 1:02 into the game. A 9-0 run over the next 4:20 put Smith up 11-5 on Jane Loo's (Saratoga, CA/Saratoga) layup which forced an Eagle timeout. Husson responded with a 15-4 run to end the quarter, resulting in a 20-16 lead
• Back-to-back layups by Sofia Rosa (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln-Sudbury) tied the game and the Pioneers would score seven points in the final 1:15 for a 39-27 edge at the half
• Smith controlled the action in the third and went ahead 58-40 on a Ruffner layup with 2:17 to go in the third. Husson closed the gap to come within 12, 59-47, before Loo's layup with 14 seconds left in the period
• The Eagle's used a 7-0 run to close out the game for the 77-66 final

Game Notes

• Smith has won 40 straight games inside Ainsworth Gymnasium
• The Pioneers have won teh Tyler Tip-Off Championship the last seven years
• This was the first meeting between these two teams

Up Next
Smith will be on the road for the first time this season next weekend with a matchup against Mitchell College on Saturday, November 18 at 5:30pm in the Lafrance Hospitality Tournament hosted by UMass Dartmouth. 

About Smith Athletics: Smith College is a NCAA Division III member of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference that sponsors 11 intercollegiate sports. For more information log on to smithpioneers.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.