Box Score THOUSAND OAKS, CA - In the second game of the 21st Annual Thrivent Financial Tournament at the Gilbert Arena on Tuesday night, the Tufts men's basketball team gave Whitman College its first loss of the season in a 107-95 final.
The Jumbos (7-2) will play host Cal Lutheran University in the tournament final on Wednesday night at 11 pm EST (8 pm PST).
Tufts built off a two-point, 49-47, halftime lead and near first half triple-double from Tom Palleschi (nine points, eight blocks, seven assists) to seal the win despite a late Whitman surge in an exciting contest between teams both receiving votes in the latest D3hoops.com poll.
The Jumbos shot 55.7 percent overall (39/70) with six players in double figures and two over 20. Palleschi dominated the hardwood, finishing with 20 points, 14 rebounds and 11 blocks, adding four assists, and reached the triple-double in only 20 minutes. After scoring 19 points in the first half, Ryan Spadford tallied two more for a game-high 21. Tarik Smith was an assist shy of a double-double with nine while scoring 17 points for Tufts.
Whitman (9-1) was handed its first loss of the season on a night when the group shot at a clip of 41 percent (34/83) though turning the ball over just six times. Tim Howell poured in a team-leading 19 points followed by 18 from Christian McDonald who also handed out a team-best six assists. Austin Butler pulled down nine of the 42 rebounds with five offensive boards on a night when WC grabbed 19 at the offensive end of the court.
The Jumbos trailed by as many as seven points in the firswt half, 30-23, when Whitman's Philip Chircu hit a three-pointer at the nine-minute mark. However, Tufts came back to take the two-point lead at intermission as Spadaford hit a three-pointer for the period's final points.
A 20-6 run to start the second half vaulted the Jumbos to a 69-53 lead with 13:49 remaining in regulation. Sophomore Ben Engvall and Palleschi both had six points during the run while sophomore Vincent Pace added five.
The Whits fought back and got as close as six points, 87-81, on Howell's lay-up at the 5:33 mark. They were within seven (95-88) following a free throw by Butler at 3:11, but the Jumbos finished off the win.
The host CLU Kingsmen defenated winless Geneva (0-9) in the first game, 88-68. Geneva and Whitman will meet at 9:00 pm EST (6 pm PST) in the Consolation final.
Portions of game recap courtesy of Cal Lutheran University
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