Box Score MIDDLEBURY, VT (January 18, 2025) -- Junior guard
James Morakis was one of 11 scorers Saturday at Middlebury College, leading the Jumbos with 20 points as the Tufts University men's basketball team rushed to a 77-57 win in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play from Pepin Gymnasium.
Tufts has now won six straight contests, moving to 4-0 in NESCAC play for the first time since 2016-17 when the Jumbos started league play 6-0. The Jumbos are also 16-2 for the first time since that 2016-17 season. Tufts is also 9-0 on the road, which is the best road start ot a season ever for Tufts, and is the second-longest win road win streak in Division III currently.
The Jumbos and Panthers (8-8, 0-4 NESCAC) were close through the first six minutes, as Middlebury led 8-7 with 14:26 to go in the first half. Sophomore
Dylan Reilly nailed a triple to start a 10-0 run to give the Jumbos a 17-8 lead with 8:51 to go following a bucket from junior forward
Scott Gyimesi. Middlebury trimmed the lead to eight with 4:26 to go in the opening half, but Tufts finished the half on a 11-3 run capped by a three-point play by
Jon Medley to make it 36-20 at halftime.
Tufts was never in doubt in the second half, as it built its lead up to a game-high 26 points at 70-44 with 4:50 remaining to cruise to the victory.
It was a team effort for the Jumbos, as the scoring was spread out through the lineup. Morakis led all scorers with 20 points on 9-of-16 shooting, adding four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Gyimesi added 14 points, chalking up a team-best seven rebounds, while Medley posted nine points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals in a solid all-around effort.
Junior
Joshua Bernstein made three of his five field goals for seven points, tallying four boards and two blocks, and Reilly made a pair of three pointers for six points. Junior guard
Sidney Wooten also connected on both of his trifectas for six points, and first-year
Isaac Friedman scored five points late off the bench.
Tufts shot 45 percent from three-point range (9-20) for the game, making 30-of-64 overall from the floor (46.9 percent). The Jumbos finished with a 40-22 edge in points in the paint, while Tufts took advantage of Middlebury's 18 turnovers with a 22-6 edge in points off mistakes.
Middlebury got 14 points from Sam Stevens, as the Panthers made just 37.9 percent (22-58) on field goals Saturday.
Tufts will have a week off before returning home next Saturday, January 25 at 3 p.m. to take on Connecticut College in Cousens Gymnasium in more NESCAC play.
--JUMBOS--
