MEDFORD, MA (November 30, 2024) -- The No. 8 Tufts University men's basketball team led 31-30 at the halftime intermission, but a 9-0 run midway through the second half for visiting No. 20 WPI was the difference as the Engineers earned a 74-61 win inside Cousens Gymnasium in non-conference action.
The two keys to the victory for the Engineers on Saturday afternoon were the 18-8 edge in points off turnovers, while also going 25-of-29 from the free throw line as compared to just 7-of-12 from the stripe for the Jumbos.
Both teams struggled offensively in the opening frame shooting the ball, as WPI (7-0) led by as many as 10 points at 27-17 with 6:03 to go in the first half after a three-pointer by Tim Reidy. The Jumbos responded with a 9-0 run to make it 27-26, capped by a driving layup by junior
James Morakis with just under two minutes to go in the first half. Moments later, a three-pointer by junior
Sidney Wooten put the Jumbos on top for the first time since 5-4 and a bucket by
Joshua Bernstein with 15 seconds remaining gave Tufts (5-1) a 31-30 halftime edge.
Bernstein had a team-high eight points in the first half for the Jumbos, while Reidy led all scorers in the opening 20 minutes with 13 for the Engineers.
After the break, Tufts came out of the locker room fast as it took its largest lead of the game at 41-35 after a three-point play from
Scott Gyimesi with 16:32 to go in regulation. WPI battled back to tie the game at 41, and regained the lead at 45-44 on a bucket by Nicholas Margetson with just over 12 minutes remaining. The Jumbos would stay close until a 9-0 run over a two-minute stretch gave the visitors a 61-50 lead with seven minutes to play. The Jumbos got their deficit down to six on a pair of free throws by Morakis, but that would be as close as the hosts would get in suffering their first defeat of the 2024-25 season.
Morakis was the game's leading scorer on Saturday, as the junior was 8-of-14 from the floor for 20 points while adding four rebounds and four assists. Reilly tallied 11 points, making three triples on the day, and Gyimesi tacked up another double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds in 35 minutes of play.
Bernstein also recorded eight points, six caroms and five blocks, and
Jon Medley added six points and five rebounds for the Jumbos. Tufts shot just 39.3 percent (24-61) from the field for the contest, a season-low, while the 12 free throws taken were the second fewest in a game this campaign behind just the 11 against Endicott on November 23.
Aidan Callahan finished with a team-high 19 points for WPI in the win, while Reidy and Justin Molen each added 15 points. WPI shot 42 percent overall for the contest (21-50) and 86.2 percent at the line.
Tufts will look to rebound on Monday, December 2 on the road, traveling to Emmanuel College at 7 p.m. in Boston for non-conference action.
--JUMBOS--
