Box Score
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Ben Ferris scored a game-high 20 points for the Jumbos
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Recap courtesy of Middlebury College
MIDDLEBURY, VT – Middlebury held Tufts without a field goal for the game's final 8:31 as the Panthers (7-5, 1-1) earned an 80-66 win over the Jumbos (6-6, 0-1) in a NESCAC contest played in Pepin Gym. Middlebury returns to action on Tuesday night at Lyndon State, while Tufts visits Newbury.
The Panthers took a 15-9 lead in the first half on a three from Matt St. Amour, with Joey Kizel earning his fourth assist on the team's first six buckets. A 6-0 run Tufts capped by a put-back dunk by Hunter Sabety tied the game at 15-15 with 11:47 remaining. The teams exchanged leads with the Jumbos taking their biggest advantage of the half at 38-33 on a jumper from Stephen Haladyna with 1:14 remaining. Kizel scored on the other end as Tufts took a 38-35 lead into the break.
Sabety had an impressive first half for the Jumbos, going 8-8 for 16 points as the Jumbos held a 21-12 advantage on the boards with both teams shooting 50 percent or better from the floor.
With the game tied at 41-41, Tufts went on a 9-2 spurt, taking a 50-43 advantage on a bucket from Traik Smith with 14:39 remaining. The Jumbos put the Panthers into the bonus situation with 14:10 remaining in the half, with Middlebury connecting on 16-18 throughout the remainder of the game.
Ben Ferris converted a three-point play with 8:31 remaining, earning Tufts its final field goal of the game to put them up 64-60. The Panther defense clamped down, forcing the Jumbos to miss their final 13 shots attempted from the floor.
A 9-0 run following the Ferris bucket gave Middlebury a 69-64 lead with 5:33 left to play. The Jumbos came within three on a pair of free throw from Ferris with 3:06 remaining, but would not score again as the Panthers closed the game on an 11-0 run. A big three from Matt Daley down the stretch gave Middlebury some breathing room.
Kizel led five Panthers in double figures with 17 points and a game-high six assists in the victory. Daley, Hunter Merryman and Dylan Sinnickson each scored 15 points, with a dozen from St. Amour. Jack Roberts earned seven rebounds and three blocks for the Panthers, while Jake Brown dished out five assists.
Ferris earned a game-high 20 points and nine rebounds for Tufts, with Sabety going 0-1 in the second half to finish with 16 points. Kwame Firmpong added 11 points and seven rebounds for the Jumbos.
The game had little flow with 48 fouls whistled, 33 of them coming in the second half. The Panthers went 25 of 31 (.806) from the line, while the Jumbos converted just 11-21 (.524).
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