MEDFORD, Mass. -- Senior Reeya Patel scored 22 points Friday night as the 16th-ranked Amherst College women's basketball team rallied for a 68-63 road win over Tufts in the Cosens' Gym.

Amherst improved to 13-1 overall and 2-1 in conference play. Tufts fell to 9-5 overall, 1-1 in the NESCAC. Amherst is at Bates Saturdat for a 3 p.m. tip-off. 

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

* The Mammoths (13-1, 2-1 NESCAC) came out of the gates quick on the host Jumbos, making nine of their first 12 field goals while taking a 23-17 lead after the first 10 minutes. In the first quarter, Amherst was 4-of-4 from behind the three-point line but the Jumbos were able to stay within striking distance thanks to 46.2 percent shooting of their own. 

* In the second period, Tufts rallied as the visitors shot 1-for-13 in the period, scoring only two points on a jumper from Patel with 8:37 to play in the quarter. That would be the last made field goal for Amherst for exactly 10 minutes of game time. That lull in shooting for Amherst allowed the Jumbos to rally back, as Tufts finished the first half on a 9-0 run capped by two free throws by senior Maggie Russell to take a 28-25 lead into the locker room at halftime. 

* The tide turned once again in the third quarter as the Mammoths outscored their hosts 23-9 over 10 minutes. A Sylvia Liddle steal and assists led to a fastbreak lay-up by Laura Mendell with 5:43 remaining in the quarter, giving Amherst its first lead since the early portion of the second stanza. Kori Barach followed with a steal of her own that led to a Anna Tranu rebound of her own miss, an Amherst timeout and subsequently a Barach bucket. Barach then converted two free-throw opportunities for a 36-31 Mammoth lead. 

* The Mammoths went  8-for-14 (57.2 percent) from the florr in the third quarter, and closed the period with a 6-0 run that gave them their largest lead of the night at 48-37. 

* In the fourth, Amherst was able to keep the Jumbos at arm's reach, taking a 10-point edge at 58-48 on a free throw by Kori Barach with 4:21 to play.

* On the next possession, Tufts would get an offensive rebound by Sousa and her attempt back at the rim resulted in a foul but she was whistled for a technical foul. Both Sousa and Reeya Patel would make both free throws to push the Amherst lead back to three. Patel connected on two more from the line to make it 63-58 with under a minute to play, but Tufts didn't go away. 

*  With less than 30 seconds remaining, Russell was fouled and made both, and junior Sofia Gonzalez nailed a three to make it 64-63 with 22 seconds left. After two more freebies by Amherst, a tying three-pointer late was off the mark and Barach sunk both free throws late to seal the victory. 

* The Mammoths went 10 of 12 from the free-throw line over that final 1:48 to to help seal the deal. 

BY THE NUMBERS:

* Patel had 22 points and 5 assists in the win, while Barach notched 17 points and 7 rebounds. Mendell finished with 11 points, 4 steals 4 assists and 4 rebounds. Tranum added 8 points and 2 rebounds, whie Liddle finished with 8 points off the bench to go along with 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.