Box Score
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| Vincent Pace scored 10 points off the bench for the Jumbos against Hamilton |
MEDFORD – The Tufts men's basketball team returned home to Cousen's Gym on Friday night and opened up a NESCAC weekend with a 70-63 win over visiting Hamilton. Sophomore Tarik Smith led the Jumbos scoring with 16 points off the bench, while the Jumbos bench turned in 43 of the 70 points in the win.
With the win the Jumbos move to 12-9 overall with a 5-2 NESCAC mark. The loss puts the Continentals at 13-8 on the season, and 1-6 in NESCAC play.
To start the game the Continentals and the Jumbos would trade the lead several times with no team leading the other by more than five points the entire first half. Sophomore Tarik Smith hit a three with 6:41 remaining to tie the score at 19. But, Hamilton junior Ajani Santos put the Continentals ahead by two again on their next possession. Sophomore tri-captain Tom Palleschi would lock the score at 21 with two made free throws of his own, and freshman Thomas Lapham and junior Ryan Spadaford would help give the Jumbos a 28-25 lead with just under four minutes remaining in the first half.
The Jumbos took a 32-29 lead into halftime and would lead for the rest of the game. About eight minutes into the second half Smith and freshman Vincent Pace both sunk threes, and rookie Everett Dayton added two points of his own, and the Jumbos jumped out to a 50-38 advantage, their biggest of the game.
Though the Continentals would cut that lead to three at one point, they were never able to regain the lead.
In the last 1:43 to play the Jumbos found themselves at the free throw line a total of 12 times, and made nine of those to help them move to the 70-63 win. Smith finished with 16 points, including a 3-for-3 mark from downtown. Junior tri-captain Stephen Haladyna finished with 11 points and Pace added 10 points on the night. Palleschi was the rebound leader for the Jumbos with seven, adding nine points to the win.
The Continentals were led by a game-high 18 points from junior Ajani Santos. Senior Joseph Lin scored 16 points and sophomore Wes Wilbur led the rebounding effort with six while adding three steals.
The Jumbos will be back in action on Saturday as they host Williams for a 2:00 pm tip off in Cousens Gym. The Jumbos will be participating in the Autism Awareness Day in College Basketball on Saturday.
Next up for Hamilton is a 3:00 pm contest at Bates on Saturday.
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