BOSTON (November 17, 2023) -- Sophomore
Scott Gyimesi led a contingent of five players in double digits with 15 points for the Tufts University men's basketball team, as the Jumbos won their third straight game to start the 2023-24 season with a 76-62 road victory at Suffolk University Friday evening at Smith Court.
Gyimesi totaled his third straight double-double to start the year for the Jumbos, as the sophomore was 7-of-12 from the field while pulling in 12 boards and blocking four shots. Classmate
James Morakis added 13 points and seven assists, while senior
Jay Dieterle also posted 12 points and four helpers in the win.
Khai Champion tallied 11 points off the bench, and
Joshua Bernstein also was 5-for-6 from the field for 10 points.
Despite shooting just 6-of-22 from three-point land, the Jumbos once again dominated in the paint as they doubled up Suffolk (2-1) in points in the paint, 40-20. Tufts also was stellar at the free throw line, making 84.2 percent (16-19) from the stripe on the night.
Tufts led for the majority of the opening 10 minutes of the game, but a Danny Yardemian three-point play put the Rams on top for the first time at 13-12 with 12 minutes to play in the first period.
The two teams exchanged the lead three times over the next ten minutes but a three-pointer by Morakis with 2:42 remaining put the Jumbos ahead for the rest of the stanza. The final run was an 8-2 run over the last three minutes for Tufts, as it took a 36-31 edge into the break.
The Jumbos' lead stayed in single digits until Tufts pulled away with a 10-0 run fueled by a triple from Champion and three free throws by
Jon Medley. Suffolk pulled back to within six at 57-51 with 7:36 to play, but the Jumbos answered every punch the Rams had at a comeback in pulling away late for the win.
In addition to the five in double figures, sophomore
Sidney Wooten came off the bench to score six points while
Bobby Stewart made both field goals for four points. Senior
Casey McLaren also added six rebounds in the win.
Suffolk got 17 points from Yardemian, while Owen Walters tallied 14 points off the bench for the Rams. Suffolk shot just 33.3 percent (24-72) from the floor, including going 4-of-25 (16 percent) from behind the arc.
Tufts (3-0) will look to stay unbeaten on the young season on Tuesday, heading over to Cambridge, Mass. to battle MIT at 7 p.m. in non-conference play from Rockwell Cage.
--JUMBOS--
