Box Score MEDFORD – Senior Eric Savage drained a deep three with three seconds left in regulation to send the NESCAC Championship to overtime, and the top-seeded Tufts men's basketball team prevailed in double-overtime over second-seeded Colby, 102-94, in Cousens Gym on Sunday afternoon. The NESCAC Championship is the program's first.
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| Eric Savage's three from deep tied things at 74 and sent the game to overtime |
The Jumbos (21-6) were led by 27 points, 12 rebounds and six assists from Savage. Junior Luke Rogers added 25 points, 19 rebounds and two blocks. Tufts receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Colby (24-3) will await a possible at large bid when the bracket is announced at 12:30 pm on Monday.
With the score locked at 70 with 1:19 to go in the second period the Mules got a couple of free throws from Dean Weiner. On the Jumbos end of the court, Rogers made one-of-two at the charity stripe to bring the Jumbos within one, 72-71, with a minute to go. Colby's Matt Hanna put the visitors up by three with a couple of free throws with six seconds left. Sophomore Tyler Aronson brought the ball down the court and handed it off to Savage. Savage dribbled across the court and drained the three to tie the game. Colby got off a shot quickly, but it didn't come close.
Hanna opened up overtime with a couple of free throws for the Mules and freshman Dylan Thoerner made a couple for the Jumbos to tie things up. The overtime period was tied twice and the two teams traded the lead. With things locked at 78 the Jumbos got a layup from Rogers, but the Mules answered with a three from Hanna and then a couple of free throws from Noah Tyson to grow their lead to three with 1:08 left. Savage sunk another three with 52 seconds left to tie things at 83. Will King put the Mules ahead two with a layup with 14 seconds left, and then Thoerner made two high pressure free throws with just a couple seconds left to send things to double overtime.
The Jumbos won the tipoff in the second overtime period and Savage opened up scoring with a jumper. Tucker Wallace made one-of-two at the line for the Mules and then a Rogers' layup put the Jumbos up three. Junior Brennan Morris picked up a key steal and another Rogers' layup and the free throw after put the Jumbos up six, 91-86, with 1:38 to go. Colby got within five, but the Jumbos made ten of their last 12 free throws in the last 1:10 to pick up the 102-94 win.
Tufts opened up the game strong with a jumper from Morris and then a layup and the free throw after from Rogers. After a three from Will King brought the Mules within one, Rogers made another layup and then Savage pushed the lead back to five with a jumper. Weiner made a layup and the free throw after to cut the lead to two. But Savage made a layup and then a jumper and Thoerner made one of two at the line to put the Jumbos ahead seven, 16-9, about six minutes into play.
Ahead by eight with 4:58 till the break the Jumbos grew their lead a bit. Thoerner started it with a jumper and then sophomore Carson Cohen pushed the lead to 12 with a layup. Cohen made two free throws on the Jumbos next possession and then a three from Morris put the Jumbos ahead by 17, 41-24, with 2:53 on the clock. The Jumbos took a 12-point lead into the break.
The Mules cut the lead at the beginning of the second half, but the Jumbos held on to a sizable lead for the first half of the second half. Trailing by nine, 63-54, with 6:53 to go the Mules got a layup from King and then a jumper from Hanna to come within five. A jumper from Weiner brought them within three and then a three from Noah Tyson with 4:23 to go tied things at 63. Tyson made three free throws on the Mules next possession to give them a three-point advantage with 3:40 to go. The game was tied at 69 and 70 when the last two-minute dramatics started and Savage made the game-tying three to send the game to overtime.
Savage's 27 points were a game-high. He also added 12 rebounds and six assists. Rogers finished with 25 points and 19 rebounds, along with three assists and two blocks. Morris tallied 16 points and six rebounds. Thoerner finished with 13 points and eight rebounds. Cohen added nine points and five assists.
The Mules were led by 23 points from Weiner. Hanna added 21 points and Tyson finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds. King collected 12 points and four assists.
The Jumbos will find out their NCAA Tournament fate on Monday when the bracket is announced in a selection show at 12:30 pm.
Watch Highlights of the Championship Game ...
