Box Score HENNIKER, N.H. – Junior Brennan Morris finished with 13 points and six rebounds and classmate Luke Rogers added eight points, 16 rebounds and six blocks, but it wasn't enough as the No. 22 Tufts men's basketball team fell to New England College, 59-56, on the road on Tuesday evening.
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| Dylan Thoerner turned in eight points, three boards and a couple blocks |
The Jumbos are now 14-4 overall, while New England College improves to 13-6 with the win.
The Pilgrims jumped out to an early lead and were able to grow that a bit. Ahead 7-4 they got jumpers from Stephen Fama and Calvin Cheek to increase that lead to seven. After a Jumbo jumper from junior Brennan Morris, the Pilgrims got a couple of free throws from Cheek. They followed that with a layup from Izaiah Winston-Brooks and were ahead 15-6 about five minutes into play.
Neither team scored for about three minutes, and the Jumbos broke up that quiet streak with a layup form senior Eric Savage. Savage followed that with a three to cut the Pilgrim lead to four, 15-11, with just over 11 minutes to go in the half. About two and a half minutes later freshman Casey McLaren made a layup that brought the Jumbos within two.
Back-to-back jumpers for the Pilgrims increased their lead to six again, and the Pilgrims were able to hold that lead and take a 34-27 into the half.
About four minutes into the second half the Jumbos got things going. Down 40-33, junior Luke Rogers made a free throw and then Morris added a three to cut the Pilgrim lead to four. Freshman Dylan Thoerner brought Tufts within two with a layup, and then a three from Thoerner put the Jumbos on top 41-40 with 12:32 on the clock.
The Pilgrims answered with a jumper from Winston-Brooks and then Larry McKinney made two at the charity stripe to increase their lead to three. McKinney followed that with a layup to put the Pilgrims ahead, 46-41, with 9:29 to go.
New England College held on to that lead for most of the rest of the game. Down 55-49, Thoerner made a layup and the free throw after with 2:23 left in the game to make it a one possession game and bring the Jumbos within three. Down by five, 59-54, with 52 seconds left Rogers dunked to make it a three-point game again. The Jumbos forced a turner on the Pilgrims next possession, but with 11 seconds left Morris missed a game tying three. The Jumbo got the offensive rebound and Savage also got off a three with five seconds left, but that one didn't fall either and the Jumbos fell 59-56.
Morris led all Jumbo scorers with 13 points and six rebounds. Savage finished with 11 points and five rebounds. Rogers added eight points, 16 rebounds and six blocks. Thoerner turned in eight points and three rebounds, along with a couple of blocks off the bench. Junior Justin Kouyoumdjian added five points and four assists. Sophomore Tyler Aronson tallied four points, five assists and two steals.
Jamal Allen led Pilgrim scorers with 16 points and three rebounds. Cheek finished with 15 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals. Winston-Brooks added ten points and four steals. McKinney turned in sic points and 13 rebounds off the bench.
The Jumbos are back in action when they host Bowdoin on Friday with a 7 pm start. New England College plays again on Saturday when they host Lesley for a 3 pm tip off.
