Box Score MEDFORD – Thanks to four players scoring double-digit points including 20 from senior Eric Savage, the top-seeded Tufts men's basketball team earned an 83-66 NESCAC quarterfinal win over eighth-seeded Hamilton on Saturday afternoon in Cousens Gym. With the win the Jumbos advance to NESCAC semifinal play, which will be in Cousens Gym next Saturday.
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| Max Oppenheim helped with nine points and four rebounds off the bench |
Tufts improves to 19-6 overall with the win. Hamilton falls to 16-9 with the setback.
The Jumbos jumped out to an early lead and commanded pretty much the entire game. Sophomore Tyler Aronson opened up scoring with a three and then junior Luke Rogers made a layup to put the Jumbos ahead five about three minutes into play. After Eric Anderson made a three for the Continentals, the Jumbos scored nine unanswered to take an 11-point lead. Savage turned in seven of those 11 points and the Jumbos were ahead 14-3 about five minutes into play.
Kena Gilmour got Hamilton on the board again with a layup and then Anderson added a three. Gilmour made another layup and the free throw after to cut the Jumbos lead to three, 14-11, with 12:50 left in the half. But, the Jumbos answered right back with a layup from freshman Dylan Thoerner, and then layups from junior Justin Kouyoumdjian and sophomore Carson Cohen. Another layup from Thoerner put the Jumbos ahead 11 again, 22-11, about halfway through the half. The Jumbos led by as many as 16 on their way to a 37-23 led at the half.
Rogers scored the Jumbos first six points of the second half. Down 43-25 about two minutes into the second half the Continentals got a couple of free throws and a layup from Spencer Kendall, and then Gilmour added a couple from the charity stripe to bring the visitors within 12, 43-31, a few minutes into the second half.
But the Jumbos answered right back with a three from Savage and then a layup from junior Max Oppenheim. A jumper from Aronson put the Jumbos up 19, 31-50, with 15:36 to go. The Jumbos led by as many 24 on their way to the 83-66 win.
Savage's 20 led the Jumbos, and he also added eight rebounds and three assists. Aronson finished with 15 points, five rebounds and a steal. Rogers turned in 13 points and ten rebounds, six of those offensive. Junior Brennan Morris added ten points. The Jumbos got 23 points from their bench, including nine each from Thoerner and Oppenheim. The Jumbos also benefited from great defensive play, holding Hamilton to their lowest point total of the season and forcing 14 turnovers.
The Jumbos will be back in action on Saturday when they host fourth-seeded Trinity in NESCAC semifinal play. Saturday's other semifinal game will feature third-seeded Amherst and second-seeded Colby. Both Amherst and Colby won in overtime in quarterfinal play. Game times will be announced this week.
