Box Score HARTFORD, Conn. – The No. 9 Tufts men's basketball team thwarted a Trinity comeback to pick up a 78-75 win in overtime on Friday night at Oosting Gymnasium. Junior Everett Dayton sunk two free throws to give the Jumbos the game-winning lead and freshman Eric Savage turned in a team-high 18 points off the bench for the Jumbos in the win.
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| Everett Dayton made two critical free throws for the Jumbos in overtime |
Entering the contest on Friday night the Jumbos were in first place in the conference standings and the Bantams were in a three way tie for second place with Amherst and Middlebury. With the win the Jumbos improve to 17-4 overall and 7-1 in conference play and remain in first place in the conference standings. Amherst and Middlebury both won on Friday night as well and stayed tied for second place in the conference standings.
After going down early, 6-0, the Jumbos came back and took the lead and maintained that lead for most of the first half. The Jumbos led 30-20 with 3:02 left in the half, but the Bantams were able to chip away at that a bit, and the visitors had a 36-30 lead at halftime.
Trinity came out of the half ready to play, and Jeremy Arthur made a three to bring the Bantams within three, 36-33. After junior Vincent Pace made one of two free throws, Neal Langdon's layup brought the Bantams within two and then Eric Gendron tied the game at 37 with 16:30 remaining the in half. The two teams traded the lead a bit, and with 13:48 left in the game Savage sunk a three which gave the Jumbos a lead they would maintain for a bit.
Up 60-50 with 7:48 left in the game the Bantams outscored the Jumbos 11-3 over the next four minutes to come within three, 63-61. With 1:04 left in the game Ed Ogundeko made a layup that brought the Bantams within one, 66-65. Junior KJ Garrett made one of two free throws with 20 seconds left in the game, and then Ogundeko tied the game at 67 with 13 seconds left. The Jumbos were able to get a shot off, but it wouldn't fall and the game went to overtime.
In overtime the two teams traded the lead and senior tri-captain Tarik Smith put the Jumbos up by two, 75-73 with 1:49 left. Christ Turnbull would tie the game again at 75 with 1:35 left. Savage had the chance to give the Jumbos the lead, but missed both free throws with just over a minute left. On the opposite end of the court, Gendron missed a layup which would have given the Bantams the lead and junior Ben Engvall pulled down a huge rebound. With 13 seconds left on the clock Dayton was fouled and went to the line and made both to give the Jumbos the 77-75 lead.
The Bantams would get one more chance, but Ogundeko missed a layup down on the other end and once again Engvall grabbed a huge rebound. He was fouled and made one of two to give the Jumbos the 78-75 win.
Savage was the point leader for the Jumbos with 18 off the bench and he also added a team-high eight rebounds. Junior KJ Garrett was also big off the bench for the Jumbos, adding 17 points and seven rebounds. Pace finished with 16 points and six boards, Smith tallied 15 points and four assists. Engvall added three points and seven boards and freshman Pat Racy finished with five points and seven boards, along with two blocks, off the bench .
For the Bantams Ogundeko finished with a massive 23 points and 21 rebounds, while adding six blocks to his evening. Gendron added 25 points and four assists. Langdon Neal tallied 11 points and seven assists, along with seven rebounds.
The Jumbos are back in action on Saturday they travel to take on Amherst with a 3 pm tip-off. Trinity stays at home hosting Bates for a 3 pm start on Saturday.
