Box Score HARTFORD – Junior Brennan Morris led four different Jumbos with double-digit points as his 20 points led the No. 21 Tufts men's basketball team to an 88-58 win over Trinity on the road on Friday night.
With the win the Jumbos improve to 17-4 overall and 7-0 in conference games. Trinity falls to 14-7 this season with a 4-3 record in NESCAC games.
The two teams traded baskets to open up play, and then Morris made two free throws to give the Jumbos a lead they would not relinquish. Senior Eric Savage added a layup on the Jumbos next possession, and then Morris put the Jumbos up six with a layup of his own. Both Tufts and Trinity each made one of two from the line, and then the Bantams got a layup from Joseph Bell to cut the Jumbo lead to four. But, Morris answered with a three, and after a Bantam layup, he made another three to put Tufts ahead by eight about five minutes into the game.
Ahead by eight with 13:25 left in the half freshman Dylan Thoerner made two at the charity stripe to put the Jumbos ahead ten. A three from Savage pushed the lead to 13 with 11:38 to go in the half. The Bantams got a couple jumpers, but layups from Savage and junior Will Brady pushed the Jumbo lead back to 13 with 9:23 to go. That started a span of about six minutes where the Bantams were not able to score. During that time junior Max Oppenheim added a layup and Savage put the Jumbos ahead, 30-13, with a layup with 7:39 left in the half. With 5:58 to go Rogers pushed the lead to 19 with a layup.
With 4:32 to go in the half the Bantams broke their quiet streak with a layup from Donald Jorden Jr. But the Jumbos answered with a free throw and then a layup from Rogers to push their lead to 20 again, 35-15, with 3:11 to go. The Jumbos would take a 41-21 lead into the break.
The Bantams cut the Jumbo lead to 17 at the start of the second half, but that's as close as they would get. Ahead by 17 about four minutes into the second half the Jumbos pushed their lead to 24 thanks to a jumper from Thoerner, two free throws from Rogers and then a three from Thoerner. Tufts led by as many as 34 on their way to an 88-58 win.
Morris led the Jumbos with 20 points and a couple of boards. Savage finished with 19 points and ten rebounds, along with five assists. Rogers turned in 16 points, six rebounds and a couple of blocks. Thoerner added ten points, two rebounds and three assists. Brady also turned in seven points, three boards and three steals off the bench and sophomore Tyler Aronson added three points and five rebounds.
Jorden led the Bantam scorers with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Christian Prydzy tallied 11 points, four rebounds and five assists. Nick Seretta added nine points and five rebounds. Bell collected six points and five boards.
The Jumbos are back in action on Saturday when they take on Connecticut College on the road at 3 pm. Trinity hosts Bates on Saturday for a 3 pm start.
