Box Score MEDFORD - Sophomores Hunter Sabety and Tarik Smith along with freshman Vincent Pace combined for 58 points as the Tufts men's basketball team won its fourth in a row, 80-67, over visiting UMass Boston on Thursday night.
Sabety didn't miss a shot (9 for 9) while tying for game-high honors with 24 points. Pace added a career-high 18 and Smith finished with 16 as the trio made up 73 percent of Tufts' scoring. The Jumbos, who moved over .500 for the first time this season at 8-7, shot 53.8 percent (28/52) including 65 percent (13/20) in the second half.
UMass Boston (9-8), which lost its fourth in a row, was led by 24 points from senior Carl Joseph. He went 13 for 13 from the free throw line as the Beacons were 19 for 21 overall (90.5 percent) at the charity stripe. Junior Omar Benabicha added 15 points.
Tufts would lead for the majority of the game, but wouldn't pull away until late. The Beacons were within 58-51 following Joseph's jumper at 6:19 of the second half. However, Tufts netted three three-pointers in the next 1:20 with two by Smith and one by Pace to take a 67-53 lead at the five-minute mark. The Jumbo advantage never dipped below 11 from there.
The Beacons led early, 11-8, on a traditional three-point play by Gregory Young. With UMass Boston holding an 18-17 advantage, the Jumbos pullled off a 13-2 run to go ahead 30-20 on Smith's lay-up at 5:12. His four points led five Tufts players who scored during the run.
UMass Boston retaliated and was within 32-30 following two Joseph free throws which ended an 10-2 Beacon stretch at 2:08 until halftime. Tufts tallied the final six points of the period, four by Pace, and led 38-30 at the break.
Sabety had 11 points and six rebounds for Tufts at intermission. Young's nine points to go with three steals led the visitors.
The Beacons brought it down to a one-possession game at 43-40 following junior Karl Agenor's lay-up with 15:21 on the second-half clock. That's as close as they would get. Pace answered with a three to start a 9-0 Tufts run that gave them a 52-40 lead with 11:49 remaining. UMass Boston cut it to seven three times before Tufts was able to gain a comfortable margin in the final five minutes.
Sabety added eight rebounds (five offensive) and four blocks to his game, while Smith (5-7 on field goals) had six steals and five assists. Pace made six of his nine shots, including three for four on threes. Junior Stephen Haladyna also finished with eight rebounds (five offensive). Tufts was also solid at the line, making 17 of 21 (81 percent).
Joseph had six rebounds, behind only Agenor's eight (four offensive) in the Beacon line-up. Like Smith on the other side, Young had excellent assist and steal numbers with six and five, respectively, as well as 11 points. Agenor also had three steals.
Tufts travels to Bates for NESCAC action on Saturday at 3 pm. UMass Boston hosts Keene State in a Little East Conference game Saturday at 3.
#
