MEDFORD, MA (January 10, 2025) -- The No. 13 Tufts University men's basketball controlled action Friday night in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) opener for the Jumbos, dispatching of visiting Bowdoin College 76-54 in play from Cousens Gymnasium.
The Jumbos (13-2, 1-0 NESCAC) never trailed against the visiting Polar Bears, leading by double-digits for the majority of the game.
Tufts started the game on a 15-3 run, led by six points from junior center
Joshua Bernstein. After Bowdoin pulled to within nine at 15-6, Tufts went on a 14-4 run over the next five minutes to take a 19-point lead following a tip-up make by sophomore
Liam Kennelly. The Jumbos advantage would swell up to 22 points just before the halftime break on a driving lay-up by
Jon Medley as Tufts took a 42-20 edge into the intermission.
The hosts shot 48.5 percent (16-33) in the first half, as Bernstein led all scorers with 11 for the Jumbos.
After halftime, sophomore
Dylan Reilly caught fire for the Jumbos as he nailed three of his four triples while tallying 11 points in the frame as Tufts built its lead up to much as 30 in the victory.
Reilly led all players on the evening with 17 points, going 5-of-8 from deep and 6-of-10 overall while adding four boards and two steals. Bernstein was a rebound shy of a double-double, as he recorded 15 points and nine rebounds while making 7-of-11 from the floor.
Junior
Scott Gyimesi recorded another double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, and
Jon Medley was 5-of-8 on the way to 12 points, four assists and two rebounds. Kennelly, who received his first start of his career, added six points in 21 minutes.
Sidney Wooten was solid off the bench with four points, and senior guard
Michael Berluti connected on his first career field goal late in the contest.
Tufts shot 43.3 percent overall (29-67) while making 12-of-15 (80.0 percent) from the charity stripe. The Jumbos turned the ball over just five times, a season-low, while winning the points off turnover battle 18-0. Tufts also held a 40-18 edge in points in the paint, and gave up no fast break points Friday.
Bowdoin got a team-high 11 points from Afamdi Achufasi and Ray Cuavas tallied 10 points as well in the loss.
The Jumbos will continue NESCAC action Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. at home, hosting Colby College inside Cousens Gymnasium.
--JUMBOS--
