MIAMI GARDENS, FL (December 20, 2025) -- Behind a big double-double of 24 points and 12 rebounds from senior forward
Scott Gyimesi, the No. 21 Tufts University men's basketball team outlasted Saint Vincent College 66-63 in the first day of play at the 2025 Cruzin' Classic at St. Thomas University.
The double-double was the sixth of the season for the senior forward, as he has three straight after going 11-of-15 from the floor while adding the 12 rebounds.
Classmate
Joshua Bernstein also had a career performance, as he tallied a game-high 21 rebounds, a personal-best. The rebounding total was the most in a contest for a Tufts players since Luke Rogers pulled down 23 against UMass-Dartmouth on November 19, 2019. It was also the most by a play in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) this year.
The Jumbos (8-2) led by as many as 15 points at 56-41 with 7:35 to play in regulation after a bucket by first-year
Ricardo Nieves, but the Bearcats scored 16 of the game's next 20 points to pull to within three at 60-57 with 3:12 to play.
Junior forward
Zion Watt answered the run with a triple to put the Jumbos back up by six points, but Saint Vincent continued to keep it within a one-possession game the rest of the way. With Tufts up two late in the game, Nieves came up with a big steal and senior
James Morakis made it a three-point game at 64-61 after making one of two at the line.
SVC got a pair of freebies with three seconds to play play, but senior
Sidney Wooten made two free throws on the next possession and the Bearcats wouldn't get a shot off as Tufts held on for the win. It was the eighth straight victory for the Jumbos.
Tufts started the opening have quickly, as Gyimesi finished a lay-up before getting a breakaway dunk by Nieves for the quick 4-0 lead. Saint Vincent responded with eight straight points, leading until a triple from
Zion Watt made it 11-10 Jumbos with 13:49 to play in the opening stanza.
The two teams exchanged the lead back and forth over the next two minutes, but a 7-0 run by the Jumbos gave Tufts a 20-14 edge with 10:43 remaining after a three-point play from first-year
Griffin Linstra.
The Bears battled back to deadlock the game at 20 on a lay-up by Jaden Gales, but this time Tufts scored eight of the contest's next 10 points to put the Jumbos back up by six at 28-22. Gyimesi netted the final 10 points of the first half by Tufts, leading the Jumbos to a 30-27 edge at the halftime intermission.
Watt finished with 11 points and five rebounds, adding two blocks and two steals as well as he made three of his eight three-point attempts. Morakis came off the bench to post nine points, while Bernstein also had eight points in addition to his big rebounding night.
First-year
Griffin Linstra also posted five points in six minutes for the Jumbos, while Nieves had eight assists in the win. Tufts was playing without junior starters
Jon Medley and
Dylan Reilly, but was still able to pick up the victory.
Tufts shot 40 percent for the day (26-65) but dominated on the glass, 50-33.
Jaden Gales had 22 points off the bench for Saint Vincent (6-4).
The Jumbos will take on Vermont State University Lyndon (4-5) Sunday at 1 p.m. in the final game of the 2025 Cruzin' Classic at St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens, FL.
--JUMBOS--
