Women's Basketball | 11/10/2023 12:38:00 PM

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher University women's basketball team, coming off a season where they fell just short of reaching the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, begin their season on Sunday, Nov. 12, at Tufts University.
 
Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Massachusetts.

How to follow the game! 
Live Stats
Live Stream
 
Here's what you need to know about the matchup:
 
Previously…
The Cardinals went 26-3 last season, including a perfect 18-0 in Empire 8 play. After defeating Nazareth, 78-55, for the Empire 8 title, they traveled to Northampton, Massachusetts for the NCAA Tournament. Fisher won its opening game against Marymount University, 80-72, before falling in a close 65-64 round two game with Smith College. It was the second straight year that the Cardinals made it to the second round of the NCAA tournament. 
 
St. John Fisher won several post-season honors, with six student-athletes earning conference honors and Melissa Kuberka's staff winning the Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year title. Sidney Tomasso and Kaitlyn Waker earned D3Hoops.com All-Region Team honors and United States Basketball Writers Association All-Area honors, with Claire Kruszka also earning All-Area honors. 
 
Know Your Foe
Tufts University, located outside of Boston in the town of Medford, counts Nobel Prize winners, governors, and senators among its alumni. 
 
More relevantly to the Cardinals, however, is that the Jumbos (named for the elephant) are a national power in women's basketball. Ranked No. 4 to begin this season by D3Hoops.com, the Jumbos advanced to the Elite 8 of last year's NCAA Tournament and have made four Final Fours in their history. The Cardinals have played the Jumbos only once in the program's history: a 72-67 overtime loss in the second round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament. 
 
The Jumbos are one of three teams that made the NCAA Tournament last season that are on Fisher's schedule- the other three are Ithaca, Cortland, and Roger Williams. 
 
Player To Watch
Sidney Tomasso returns for her junior year. Last season, the guard earned First-Team All-Empire 8 honors while leading the Cardinals in scoring (420 pts, 14.5 PPG) and field goals (161), averaging 5.1 rebounds and two assists per game.
 
The Waverly, N.Y. native's 92.9% free throw percentage (65-for-70) was the second-best for a Cardinal ever in a single season, and her 89.4% free throw percentage (93-for-104) is currently the highest ever for a Cardinal in their career. 
 
What Comes Next
The Cardinals return to the Rochester area for the Mark's Pizzeria Crosstown Shootout on November 16 and 18 against RIT and the University of Rochester, respectively. 
 
Stay up-to-date with the latest news, scores, highlights and more by downloading the official mobile app for Fisher Athletics. Just search SJF Athletics in the App Store or on Google Play and download today for free.  Follow the Cardinals on social media for more! Twitter | Instagram