BOSTON, MA (November 19, 2024) -- Despite a slow start, the No. 13 Tufts University men's basketball team held host Suffolk University to just 23 second-half points while pulling away for a 76-57 win in non-conference action from Smith Court Tuesday night.
The Jumbos moved to 3-0 on the young season, while marking the third straight season that Tufts has started the year has won its first three games of the year. Tufts started the 2022-23 season 5-0 while going 10-0 for the first-time ever last year in 2023-24. Tuesday's game was a battle though for the Jumbos, who shot the ball very well all night but couldn't shake the host Rams (2-1) in the first half. Neither team led by more than five points in the opening 20 minutes, as Tufts took a five-point edge with 1:29 to go in the first half on a triple by sophomore
Jon Medley. The Jumbos would eventually lead by three at 37-34 going into the break after a bucket by
Bobby Stewart just before the halftime intermission.
Tufts shot 58.3 percent in the first half, going 6-of-10 from behind the three-point arc as junior
Scott Gyimesi posted 10 points to lead Tufts.
The second half was a different story though, as Tufts continued to stay red hot offensively while Suffolk struggled to score over the final 20 minutes. With just over 10 minutes to play, Tufts was clinging to a one-point lead before going on a 24-6 run to finish the game to put the game away. During that stretch, Tufts held the host Rams scoreless for nearly seven minutes as the Jumbos dominated inside with 12 paint points to stretch out the lead en route to the victory.
Junior
James Morakis scored 14 of his team-high 18 points in the second half, adding four rebounds and three assists while going 7-of-11 from the field. Gyimesi continued his efficient start to the season, making six of his seven field goals while scoring 15 points and grabbing a team-high six rebounds. Medley added 10 points, and
Joshua Bernstein made all four of his attempts from the field for nine points, adding four boards and two blocks.
Stewart finished with six points, blocking two shots and grabbing six rebounds as well, while
Liam Kennelly,
Sidney Wooten and
Zion Watt all had five points off the bench.
Tufts finished the game making a blistering 62.5 percent from the floor, which included making seven of its 12 three-point attempts. The field goal percentage for a game was the highest for a Tufts' squad since shooting 68 percent (34-50) against Plymouth State back on December 9, 2014. Tufts also held a slight 29-24 edge on the glass.
The Rams got a game-high 23 points from Keenan Robertson, as he was 8-of-15 from the floor.
The Jumbos will make their long awaited home opener this upcoming Saturday afternoon, hosting Endicott College at 3:30 p.m. inside Cousens Gymnasium. Prior to the game, Tufts will dedicate the newly renovated Cousens Gymnasium lobby and entrance way.
--JUMBOS--
