MEDFORD, MA (November 14, 2023) -- Sophomore forward
Scott Gyimesi exploded for 15 points, 19 rebounds and six assists Tuesday evening, as the Tufts University men's basketball team dominated in the second half en route to a 72-53 win over visiting Emerson College in Cousens Gymnasium.
Gyimesi was efficient in all aspects of his game on Tuesday night, as he finished 7-of-8 from the floor for his 15 points, while adding career-highs in rebounds and assists. His 19 caroms were the most in a single game since Luke Rogers pulled in 19 against Simpson College on December 30, 2021.
Tufts (2-0) got the night going on a bucket by
Joshua Bernstein, but the Lions (1-2) went on a 9-2 run capped by a three-pointer by Lucas Brenner to lead by five after five minutes of action. The lead swelled up to 10 at 14-4, but a
Khai Champion three-pointer stopped the run for Emerson.
The Jumbos would continue to trail until the 3:21 mark of the first half when junior
Bobby Stewart scored in the paint to make it 22-21. After an Emerson bucket, first-year
Jon Medley scored in transition to make it 25-24 and a free throw by the Lions finished the scoring for the stanza with the squads deadlocked at 25.
Both teams struggled from the floor, as Tufts was just 2-of-12 (16.7 percent) from behind the arc while Emerson shot 30 percent in the first 20 minutes.
That trend certainly would change for the Jumbos, as Tufts opened the second half on fire making its first five triples in the period including a three from Champion with 12:07 to go in regulation to make it 48-33, forcing a timeout by the Lions.
The edge for the Jumbos continued to swell up to as much as 25 points with just under five minutes to play on a lay-up by Gyimesi, as Tufts ran away for the win in its 2023-24 home opener. Tufts shot much better in the second half from behind the arc, making six of its 10 shots from behind the arc while going 17-of-35 (48.6 percent) in the second.
In addition to Gyimesi's big night, sophomore
James Morakis posted 11 points including knocking down both of his three-point shots, and Medley finished with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting. Senior
Jay Dieterle scored nine points, and Champion finished with nine points as well off the bench. Bernstein finished with nine rebounds, as the Jumbos out-rebounded Emerson 51-37.
Trevor Arico finished with 13 points to lead the Lions, and Lucas Brenner and Guillermo Gassett Ruiz each added eight points as well in the loss.
Tufts will travel to Suffolk University Friday night at 7 p.m. for a non-conference battle with the Rams in action from Larry E. Smith and Michael S. Smith Court.
--JUMBOS--
