Box Score MEDFORD – Senior Eric Savage turned in 22 points and junior Luke Rogers helped with 19 as the No. 22 Tufts men's basketball team picked up a hard-fought 80-67 win over No. 5 and previously undefeated Colby in front of a packed Cousens Gym on Saturday afternoon.
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| Junior Luke Rogers finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds |
Savage was honored as part of the senior day festivities in Cousens Gym prior to the start of the game. He turned in a career-high 35 points last night against Bowdoin and then led the Jumbos with 22 points, six rebounds and three assists in the win over Colby on Saturday. With the win the Jumbos improve to 16-4 overall and 6-0 in NESCAC play. Colby suffers their first loss of the season, falling to 18-1 this season with a 6-1 mark in conference games. The win gives the Jumbos sole possession of first place in the conference standings. Colby falls into second place with a 5-1 mark, ahead of third place Amherst who is 4-2 in league games.
The Jumbos jumped out to an early 6-0 lead thanks to threes from junior Brennan Morris and sophomore Tyler Aronson. The Mules got on the board with a jumper from Matt Hanna, and then Rogers made it 7-2 with a free throw. A Colby three from Will King brought the visitors within two, 7-5, about four minutes into play. Savage made two at the line but then the Mules got points from Alex Dorion and Noah Tyson to tie things at nine six minutes into the half.
Tufts got back on top with a free throw from Savage, but then the Mules took their first lead of the game thanks to a jumper from Dean Weiner. The two teams traded baskets and the game was tied twice in the next couple minutes. With things locked at 16 with 8:21 to go in the half, Savage put the Jumbos on top with a jumper. Rogers followed that with a couple of layups to put the Jumbos ahead, 22-16, with just over five minutes left in the half.
Tyson cut the lead with a three for Colby, but the Jumbos just got another layup from Rogers and then two points from freshman Dylan Thoerner to push their lead to seven, 26-19, with 3:05 on the clock. Savage drained a three to put the Jumbos up ten with just over two minutes until halftime. The Jumbos took a 33-25 lead into the break.
The Mules worked at the start of the second half to erase the Jumbo lead. The two teams traded points to open the half, and then Dorion made a three to cut the lead to five. After a layup from Rogers, King made a three to bring the visitors within four, 39-35. King added a layup on the Mule's next possession to bring them within two. Jumbo sophomore Carson Cohen and Dorion each made threes, and then another three from Dorion put the Mules ahead, 43-42, about five minutes into the second half.
The two teams traded the lead, and the Mules grew their lead to as many as five. Down 52-47 the Jumbos got two layups from Thoerner to come within one, 52-51 with 11 minutes to go. Junior Justin Kouyoumdjian then drained a three to give the Jumbos a 54-52 advantage with 10:32 to go. Classmate Will Brady pushed that lead to five with one of his own from downtown, and then he made two free throws to put the Jumbos ahead, 59-52, with 9:15 on the clock. Savage followed that with a jumper, and then a free throw from Rogers put the Jumbos ahead ten, 62-52, with 7:39 remaining. The Jumbos would not trail again.
The Mules worked their way back in it though. Weiner started it with a layup and then Dorion added a layup of his own. Dorion then made two free throws to bring the Mules within four, 62-58. The two teams traded baskets, but four would be as close as the Mules would get. With 3:55 left in the game and ahead, 64-60, Aronson sunk a three and then Savage tallied two free throws to increase their lead to nine, 69-60, with just under three minutes to play. The Jumbos held onto their lead for an 80-67 win.
Savage led the Jumbos with 22 points, six rebounds and three assists. Rogers tallied 19 points and 12 rebounds. Aronson finished with 14 points and three boards. Thoerner added eight points and three rebounds. Brady tallied five points, and three assists. Cohen finished with five points and three rebounds and Kouyoumdjian collected four points, three rebounds and four assists.
Dorion led the Mules with 23 points and four rebounds. King added 14 points, three rebounds and three assists. Weiner helped with ten points and three rebounds. Tyson collected eight points and five rebounds.
The Jumbos are back in action on Friday when they travel to Trinity for a 7 pm start. Colby plays again on Friday as well as they travel to Hamilton for a 7 pm tip-off.
