Box Score MEDFORD – Behind a strong second half and 21 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks from junior Luke Rogers the Tufts men's basketball team earned a hard fought 78-72 win over Hamilton on Friday night in Cousens Gym.
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| Tyler Aronson helped with 16 points, 11 of those in the second half |
The win helps the Jumbos improve to 12-3 on the year, while they move to 2-0 in conference play. Hamilton falls to 11-4 this year, and 1-2 in NESCAC contests.
The two teams traded baskets to open the game and a layup from Kena Gilmour and then two free throws from Mike McEneney put the Continentals up by four about four minutes into play. Spencer Kendall added a layup to put the visitors up by six, but Rogers responded with a layup and the made free throw after to cut the lead to three. Rogers scored the Jumbos' first seven points.
Down by seven with 11:44 left in the half junior Will Brady sunk a three, and then a dunk from sophomore Tyler Aronson cut the visitors lead to two, 15-13. With 9:11 left in the half a layup from senior Eric Savage tied the game at 15. The Jumbos kept going, getting a three from junior Brennan Morris.
Trailing by three, 20-17, with 6:42 left in the half the Continentals got a dunk from Spencer Kendall and then a three from Mark Lutz gave the Continentals a two-point lead, 22-20. Rogers put the Jumbos ahead again with a layup and the free throw after with 5:11 left. The two teams traded the lead four times in the next four minutes. Down by four with 1:01 on the clock freshman Casey McLaren made a couple free throws to cut the lead to two, and a free throw from Aronson with 36 seconds left brought the Jumbos within one. A McLaren layup with six seconds left in the half helped the Jumbos take a 34-33 lead into the break.
Out of the break the two teams traded baskets and neither led by more than two points until junior Brennan Morris made a three to put Tufts ahead, 44-41, with 15:30 remaining in the game. Just about two minutes later Gilmour tied it at 44 with a three for the Continentals. But, the Jumbos answered with a three from Brady and then a free throw and then a layup from freshman Dylan Thoerner put them ahead by six with 11:53 to go.
After a layup from Elliott Tirbaso for the Continentals, the Jumbos got a jumper from Thoerner and then an offensive rebound and the layup and the free throw after from Aronson pushed the lead to nine, 46-55, halfway through the second half. Aronson drained a three on the Jumbos next possession to increase the lead to 12, and then McLaren added a layup with 9:09 left to put Tufts ahead, 60-46.
The Jumbos led by ten or more for the next eight minutes. The Continentals fouled relentlessly in the last 2:36, but the Jumbos only converted eight of their 18 possible free throws during that span. That allowed Hamilton to cut the Tufts lead, but the Jumbos held on for the 78-72 win.
Rogers finished with 21 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks to lead the Jumbos' efforts. Aronson added 16 points and five rebounds. Morris tallied 13 points, and Savage added seven points and six rebounds. The Jumbos got 19 points from their bench including seven from Brady and six each from Thoerner and McLaren.
Gilmour led the Continentals with 26 points and ten rebounds. Lutz turned in ten points and two boards. Kendall added nine points, three rebound and two blocks. Hamilton got 22 points from their bench, with Tirbaso leading those efforts with eight points and five rebounds.
The Jumbos are back in action on Saturday when they host No. 22 Amherst for a 3 pm in Cousens Gym. Hamilton travels to Bates where they will start at 3 pm with the Bobcats on Saturday.
