MEDFORD, MA (January 11, 2025) -- Junior
Scott Gyimesi tallied a career-high 33 points Saturday afternoon, adding 10 rebounds as he helped the No. 13 Tufts University men's basketball team to a 90-82 win over visiting Colby College in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play from Cousens Gymnasium.
Gyimesi was one of many players to have a strong game offensively, as he finished 14-for-17 overall to surpass his previous career high of 23 points. As a squad, the Jumbos shot a scorching 61 percent overall (36-59), while nailing 7-of-17 (41.2 percent) from behind the arc. The 33 points for Gyimesi was the most in a game for a Jumbo since Dylan Thoerner tallied 33 against Wesleyan University on February 10, 2023.
The 61 percent shooting for Tufts was the second-highest of the season, while the 36 made field goals were also tied for the most in a game this year.
Tufts led for most of the first half of the opening period, but a three-pointer by Ben Kaczmarek put the Mules on top for the first time with 12:51 to go in the first stanza. Colby (9-5, 1-1 NESCAC) led by five at 25-20 but Tufts regained the lead at 26-25 after a bucket from senior
Bobby Stewart with seven minutes to go before half.
There would be 14 lead changes in the first half, along with four ties, as the Jumbos surged ahead just before the break to take a 47-43 edge into the locker room. Gyimesi had 16 points in the first half, while
James Morakis also tallied nine points in the first frame. Jack Lawson led the Mules with 14 points in the opening period.
After halftime, the game was nip and tuck the entire way as neither team led by more than one possession before Tufts got a big two-handed jam from
Trumann Gettings to take a five-point lead at 78-73 six minutes left.
Two minutes later, Gettings threw down another dunk to make it a nine-point lead for Tufts, finishing a 13-2 run for the Jumbos to make it 84-75. The Jumbos would close out the win at the line, moving to 2-0 in the NESCAC for the first time since 2019-20. Tufts also moved to 14-2 overall, the first time for that feat since the 2016-17 season.
Morakis returned to the lineup Saturday to pour in 16 points and five rebounds in 20 minutes, and sophomore
Dylan Reilly continued his strong shooting with 14 points, nailing four triples. Gettings came off the bench to score 13 points in 18 minutes, and
Jon Medley dished out eight assists while adding four rebounds, three steals and three points.
Junior
Sidney Wooten also had a strong game distributing the ball for Tufts, handing out six assists while not turning the ball over. The Jumbos posted a 54-40 edge in points in the paint Saturday, holding a slight 31-28 edge on the glass.
Lawson was Colby's leading scorer with 24 points, while Max Poulton added 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Sam Hinman also came off the bench to make four three-pointers for 12 points.
Tufts will be on the road next weekend, starting its two-game road swing on Friday, January 17 at Williams College at 7 p.m. before battling Middlebury College Saturday, January 18 at 3 p.m. in NESCAC action.
--JUMBOS--
