MEDFORD, Mass. – The FDU-Florham women's basketball team's NCAA title defense came to an end on Saturday night when the Tufts University Jumbos topped the defending champs 58-52 at Cousens Gymnasium.

The Jumbos (30-1) handed the Devils (29-2) just their second loss in the last 64 games, while avenging last season's national semifinal game defeat in the process.

With the win, Tufts advances to take on the Thomas More College/University of St. Thomas winner in the Final Four at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich, next Friday, March 20.

The Devils started fast, staking an 8-2 lead in the game's first three minutes. The two teams traded blows until the Jumbos took their first lead at the 8:09 mark after back-to-back 3-pointers by Kelsey Morehead and Emma Roberson.

Four minutes later, the Devils regained the lead, 23-21, when Kyra Dayon (Trenton, N.J.) snuck into the lane and dropped off a nifty bounce pass to Shalette Brown (Somerset, N.J.) for a go-ahead lay-up.

From that point, the two teams traded baskets over the remainder of the period with Alyssa McDonough (Parlin, N.J.) supplying the firepower for the Devils. The sophomore guard scored a team-high 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting and the defending champs entered the break with a slim 30-28 edge.

Despite both teams playing physical defense, the first-half shooting percentages were high. FDU-Florham headed to intermission with a 50 percent (13-26) shooting effort, while Tufts converted at a 41.4 percent clip. In addition, the two teams each shot 50 percent from long-range.

The second half began with a steal by McDonough and a lay-up by Brown, which extended the Devils' lead to four at 32-28 but the Jumbos responded with two-straight baskets to even the score.

After a three-minute drought for both teams, Kyra Dayon and Hayley Kanner traded buckets, which again tied the contest at 36 all. Two possessions later, Dayon answered and put the Devils back in front with a midrange jumper from the right side.

The Jumbos regained the lead 43-42 on a pair of free throws by Lauren Dillon, and Kanner put back an offensive rebound, which gave the Jumbos a 45-42 edge.

Trailing 47-42, McDonough, from her knees, connected with Brown on an improbable, cross-court pass, which Brown promptly banked in to make it a one-score game. However, the Jumbos again answered and following a Dillon 3-pointer took a six-point lead, 54-48.

Tufts maintained its advantage for the remainder of the contest and limited the Devils to just four points over the game's final five minutes. After their hot-shooting first half, the Devils only managed to hit 7-of-32 in the latter stanza.

Brown finished with 12 points and nine rebounds to lead FDU-Florham in the loss. McDonough also scored 12, while Kyra Dayon added 10 for the Devils.

Dillon led all scorers with 14 points, including several key baskets down the stretch. Additionally, the freshman guard connected on four of her six shots from behind the arc.

The Jumbos' front court duo of Kanner and Michaela North each double-doubled, combining for 23 points and 21 rebounds in the win. Moreover, the two used their size and length to corral seven crucial offensive rebounds.