Box Score
MEDFORD – The Tufts men's basketball team built a 38 point half time lead over the visiting Bowdoin College Polar Bears on their way to a 102-69 NESCAC win at Cousens Gym Friday night. Sophomore Vincent Pace led the Jumbos with 25 points, including a 5-for-6 mark from downtown on the evening.
The Jumbos, who were 17-for-34 from behind the three-point line on the evening, move to 10-2 on the year and 1-0 in conference play. The set back brings the Polar Bears record to 7-4 overall with a 0-1 mark in conference play.
Tufts opened the contest on fire and didn't slow down after that. A three pointer from senior tri-captain Ryan Spadaford, followed by two points from Pace and capped by three from junior Tarik Smith, helped the Jumbos build a 12-6 lead about four minutes into the first half. After a pair from Bowdoin's Jake Donnelly, the Jumbos scored ten unanswered points to grow their lead to 14, leading the visitors 22-8.
Two points from Bowdoin's Jack Simonds started the Bowdoin scoring again, and the two teams traded points until the Jumbos scored 20 unanswered points to close out the first half. With just under six minutes remaining in the half, Donnelly scored to bring the Polar Bears within 18, with the score 38-20 in the Jumbos advantage. Tufts then scored 20 unanswered points, including eight points from Pace, to bring their lead to 38, owning a 58-20 advantage at the half.
The Jumbos were 8-for-14 from the three point line during the first half, and shot 61.8% during the first frame. The Polar Bears struggled to score and finished the half shooting just 25% and 10% from the three-point line.
Bowdoin was able to generate some offense to start the second half, coming out of the intermission and cutting down the Jumbos lead to 31 with six points from Neil Fuller in the first three minutes of play, but the Jumbos did not let up and would lead by as many as 41 during the second half.
The Polar Bears would only get within 30 points of the Jumbos, cutting the lead to 97-67 with just over a minute left to play. But, the Jumbos held on for the 102-69 win.
Pace's 25 led the Jumbos and senior tri-captain Stephen Haladyna finished with 14 points, while Smith tallied 13 points in the win. Junior tri-captain Tom Palleschi finished with nine rebounds and sophomore Ben Engvall added six of his own. Palleschi also had a team-leading five assists in the win.
Donnelly was the leading point scorer for the Polar Bears, who finished the contest shooting just 35.9%, as he had 13 points, five rebounds and four assists. Lucas Hausman turned in 11 points and both Liam Farley and Jack Simonds both finished with nine. Farley and Matt Paleki collected six rebounds each.
The Polar Bears will be back in action on Saturday when they take on Bates at 3 pm on the road. The Jumbos take the court in Cousens Gym again on Saturday when they host Colby for a 2 pm tip off.
Game Photos by Kelvin Ma / Tufts
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