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BASKETBALL FINAL SCORE
New England Big 4 Challenge Championship
Game
Brandeis 54, Tufts 41
At Medford, MA
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Game
Statistics
MEDFORD -- Tournament Most Valuable Player Kenny Small
(Stratford, CT) scored 22 points to lead the visiting Brandeis
University Judges to a 54-41 victory over Tufts University in the
championship game of the inaugural "New England Big 4 Challenge" on
Sunday afternoon at Cousens Gymnasium.
Despite poor shooting on both sides, the game was set up for an
exciting conclusion tied at 37-37 heading into the final nine
minutes. However, the Judges took the drama out of it with an 11-0
run over the next four minutes to lead 48-37 with 5:16 remaining in
the second half. Small had six points during the stretch and
All-Tournament selection Terrell Hollins (Springfield, MA) added
three. Brandeis led by no less than eight points the rest of the
way.
Ranked 23rd in this week's D3Hoops.com national poll, the Judges
improved to 7-1 overall with their fifth straight victory. Small
was the only Judge to score in double-figures, but Hollins finished
with 10 rebounds along with six points and three assists. Sophomore
Tyrone Hughes (Dorcester, MA) added eight points, seven rebounds,
and three steals to the tournament championship win.
Tufts (2-5), which lost for the first time in three games, was
led by 10 points from freshman Scott Anderson (Sudbury,
MA). All-Tournament pick Dave Beyel (Ocean City,
NJ) had eight points, five rebounds, and two steals, while
senior tri-captain Jon Pierce (Belmont, MA)
finished with seven points and a team-high nine rebounds and also
earned All-Tournament accolades.
The Judges had scored the first seven points of the game and led
16-8 halfway through the first half following a Small
three-pointer. Over the next seven-plus minutes, the Jumbos worked
the margin down to a 23-23 tie after a pair of Pierce free throws
with 2:53 to go until halftime. Five Jumbos scored during the 15-7
turn-around. However, Small scored the final six points of the half
and Brandeis led 29-23. Small had 14 at the break.
Tufts surged to its first lead of the game five minutes into the
second half, using a 12-4 run to go ahead 35-33 on a lay-up by
Beyel. Senior Dan Cook (Dover, MA) netted two
three-pointers to help the cause. Both teams went cold and only two
points were scored over the next five minutes. A jumper by Brandeis
junior Christian Yemga (Yaounde, Cameroon) put Brandeis up 37-35,
and then Anderson hit two free throws to tie it prior to the
Judges' decisive run.
Brandeis finished at 40 percent on the dot shooting (18/45) and
made only three of 11 three-point attempts (27.3 percent). Tufts
was worse, shooting just 14 for 45 from the floor (31.1 percent),
including three for 16 from beyond the arch (18.8 percent).
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