Box Score MEDFORD – Behind 26 points from senior co-captain Tom Palleschi the No. 5 Tufts men's basketball team topped Emerson 87-72 in Cousens Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon. The game was the first at home for the Jumbos early in the season.
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| Tom Palleschi helped the Jumbos pick up a win in their home opener. |
With the win the Jumbos move to 4-0 on the year, while Emerson falls to 2-2 with the setback.
The 26 points for Palleschi is just one short of his career high. He scored 27 against Middlebury back on January 5, 2013. The 26 points is a season-high and matches last year's season high which was also 26 against Pine Manor on February 9, 2016.
The Jumbos got out to an early lead but the two teams traded the lead a bit for a good part of the first ten minutes of the game. Palleschi would put the Jumbos ahead with a little more than ten minutes remaining in the half, and they would not trail from there. Palleschi turned in 12 points in the first half for the Jumbos and they took a 38-31 lead into the half.
It was the Jumbos that hit their stride in the second half, outscoring the Lions 14-4 in the first seven minutes of the second half to take a 52-39 lead. They would by ten for most of the rest of the half, finishing with the 87-72 win.
Palleschi's 26 points and eight rebounds lead the Jumbos and classmate and co-captain Tarik Smith added 15 points, three steals and seven assists. Junior Ben Engvall helped with 12 points and classmate Everett Dayton matched Palleschi with eight boards of his own.
For the Lions it was Geoffrey Gray that finished with 24 points and Michael Sheng and John Geary each added 14. Ben Holding helped with 11 points off the bench. Gray added nine rebounds and Sheng turned in seven on the day.
The Jumbos will be back in action when they host WPI on Tuesday night for a 7 pm start. Emerson plays again Wednesday with a 6 pm schedule tip-off against Dean.
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