Box Score
MEDFORD - Sophomore Stephen Haladyna matched his career high with 23 points as the Tufts men's basketball team earned a NESCAC playoff berth on the last day of the season with a 66-62 victory over #24 Bowdoin Saturday at Cousens Gym.
The Jumbos, who finished in a three-way tie for seventh place at 4-6 in the conference with Colby and Wesleyan, grab the #7 seed due to their weekend sweep in the league. The Jumbos defeated Colby 88-81 in overtime last night.
Tufts' opponent in the NESCAC quarterfinals won't be determined until Amherst and Middlebury play the last game of the NESCAC season tomorrow. It will be either Amherst or Williams.
Today the Jumbos prevailed in a tightly contested game against Bowdoin that never had a margin beyond seven points. Tufts, which also received 17 points and four assists from Kwame Firempong on Seniors Day, improved to 13-11 overall.
Despite the loss, Bowdoin (19-4, 6-4 NESCAC) still earns the #4 seed in the conference and will host Trinity next weekend in the quarterfinals on Saturday.
The Jumbos took the lead for good at 50-47 on one of Haladyna's six three-pointers in nine attempts at 12:26 of the second half. A stretch of seven points by Firmepong then gave the hosts a 60-53 advantage with 5:36 remaining in regulation.
The Polar Bears were able to get the game down to one possesion, trailing just 64-62 following a dunk by John Swords at the two-minute mark. Tufts could not extend its lead beyond three points, and in the final 25 seconds Bowdoin missed two three-pointers. One would have given them the lead, and the other would have tied the game.
Bowdoin had led 36-35 at halftime as Swords put-back a miss at the buzzer. Lucas Hausman had 16 points at the break for the Polar Bears, while Haladyna led Tufts with 14. Both teams shot 50 percent from three-point range in the first 20 minutes.
Swords led Bowdoin with 21 points to go with 14 rebounds and three blocks. Hausman was held scoreless in the second half. Andrew Madlinger finished with eight points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals. The Polar Bears won the battle of the boards 41-33 with Grant White adding six.
Oliver Cohen had eight points, six rebounds and six assists for the Jumbos. Hunter Sabety finished with 10 points, eight rebounds and four blocks.
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