MEDFORD, MA (December 10, 2022) -- The Tufts University men's basketball team used a late 8-0 run fueled by five points from senior
Theo Henry to open up a close contest as the Jumbos topped Suffolk University 90-82 in the final home game of the calendar year in Cousens Gymnasium Saturday afternoon.
Tufts (8-2) led early as it opened up an eight-point edge with 15:26 to go in the first half after a hook shot make from sophomore
Trumann Gettings. The Jumbos built its lead up to as much as 15 with 1:14 remaining in the half after a Henry triple, rolling into the intermission with a 13-point edge at 42-29. Tufts shot 62.5 percent in the first half, but 55.6 percent shooting from deep kept the Rams in the game. Tufts also assisted on 14 of its 20 buckets in the first half, adding a 24-9 edge in points off turnovers.
In the second half Tufts saw its edge get up to 17 points at 47-31 on another Gettings bucket, but the Rams outscored Tufts 27-10 over the next eight and a half minutes to take a two-point edge at 58-56 on a three-pointer from Keenan Robinson.
Carson Cohen would even the score on the next possession with a rebound put-back of a missed
Casey McLaren triple. Two free throws by
Bobby Stewart gave the Jumbos the lead again, starting an 8-1 lead that finished with a Cohen trifecta and Tufts ahead 66-59.
Suffolk made it a three-point game at 74-71 with 4:15 to play but the decisive 8-0 run over 80 seconds for the hosts helped clinch the victory. Tufts had five players in double figures Saturday, let by the 17 points from sophomore
Khai Champion. 11 of his 17 points came in the second half, as he shot 6-of-7 from the field including connecting on all three of his triples.
Gettings finished with a career-high 16 points for the Jumbos, connecting on 7-of-12 from the floor, and Stewart had a very solid all-around game with eight points along with team-highs of eight boards and six assists. Senior
Dylan Thoerner tallied 14 points, going 6-of-9 on field goals, while Cohen finished with a season-high 13 points along with handing out three assists. Henry needed just 19 minutes to score 12 points and
Joshua Bernstein posted four points and five rebounds in six minutes.
Tufts shot 57.6 percent on the afternoon (34-59), while nailing eight of its 19 three-pointers for a 42.1 percent clip. The Jumbos posted a big 50-30 edge in paint points, and also got 39 points from its bench in the win.
Suffolk also had five players in double figures, led by 17 points from William Rowe and 13 points from Robertson and Cole LaVangie. John Gates tallied 12 points while Aidan Sullivan finished with 10 points for the Rams (3-5), who shot a strong 52.7 percent from the floor including making 13-of-23 (56.5 percent) from behind the arc.
Tufts will have 19 days off before traveling to New York City to battle Yeshiva University at 8 p.m. Thursday, December 29 in the final non-conference contest before New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play January 6.
--JUMBOS--
