KEENE, N.H. 2/1/05 - Tufts University held off Keene State in the final minute of play to post a 59-57 non-conference women's basketball victory at Spaulding Gym on Tuesday night.

Taryn Miller-Stevens (Avon, Conn.) with 13 points, Allison Love (Duxbury, Mass.) (11 points), and Valerie Krah (Mountain Lake, N.J.) (10 points) all finished in double figures for the Jumbos.

Sarah Begnoche (Millville, Mass.) scored a game high 15 points for KSC. Bekka Hopkins (Oxford, Mass.) had 12 points and Bri Barnes (Merrimack, N.H.) finished with 10 points and eight rebounds for the Owls.

Trailing 28-26 at halftime, Keene State used a 8-2 spurt midway in the half to take a 44-37 lead on a fast break basket by Cathy Mechare (Falls Village, Conn.) at the 10:24 mark.

The Jumbos came back to take the lead for a good on consecutive baskets by Love and Krah that put Tufts up 57-54 with 49 seconds to play.

Following a free throw by Love, Barnes hit a long three-pointer to get KSC within one (58-57) with 13 seconds remaining.

Taryn Miller-Stevens (Avon, Conn.) added one free throw to make it 59-57 with 11 seconds to play, and Tufts came up with two key offensive rebounds - two of their 17 in the game- following foul shots to hold off the Owls.

Keene State, which has dropped three of its last four games, falls to 12-8. After losing seven straight, Tufts (10-8) has won two straight.

Keene State returns to LEC play on Saturday when it hosts Southern Maine (1 p.m.).