MEDFORD, MA – The No.13 Tufts University men's basketball team gave everything they had in an electrifying NCAA Tournament Second Round match-up against University of Redlands but came up just short in a 95-93 overtime loss at Cousens Gym on Saturday evening.
Despite an inspired performance from senior
James Morakis, who poured in a game-high 36 points while going an impressive 14-of-15 from the free-throw line, Tufts was unable to hold off a furious Redlands second-half rally. The Jumbos led by 12 at halftime (37-25) after a dominant opening 20 minutes but saw their lead slip away as Redlands found its rhythm offensively.
Tufts came out firing in the first half, using stifling defense and efficient scoring to build a double-digit lead. Morakis controlled the offense, attacking the rim and drawing fouls at will, while
Jon Medley (18 points, 6-7 FT) and
Joshua Bernstein (13 points, 7 rebounds, 6 blocks) provided crucial secondary scoring.
The Jumbos' defensive intensity forced Redlands into a 26.7% shooting performance (8-for-30) in the first half, and they held Redlands to just one made three-pointer before the break. Meanwhile, Tufts capitalized on its chances at the free-throw line, hitting all four first-half attempts to take a 37-25 lead into the locker room.
The second half was a completely different story, as Redlands caught fire offensively. The visitors shot an astonishing 61.1% from the field (22-of-36) and 60% from beyond the arc (6-of-10) in the second half to storm back into the game. Tufts still maintained a narrow lead for most of the half, thanks to key buckets from
Scott Gyimesi (11 points, 9 rebounds) and clutch shooting from Medley, but Redlands' relentless attack eventually erased the deficit.
With the game on the line, Redlands found itself trailing by three points late, but Bulldog senior guard Chozen Amadi drilled a massive three-pointer in the final second of regulation to tie the game at 83 forcing overtime.
The extra period was a back-and-forth slugfest, with Redlands briefly taking a lead behind a three-pointer from Amadi and a crucial put-back by Lucas Gordon. But Tufts responded, chipping away at the lead and making key defensive stops in the final minute. Tufts was down four with 19 seconds to go, but Morakis made a pair of freebies followed by two missed free throws by Redlands, and Morakis converted two more to deadlock the game with four seconds left.
With the game tied at 93-93 in the closing seconds, Redlands' Omari Ferguson managed to drive the length of the court and sink a layup with just 0.5 remaining, stunning the Jumbos and sending the visitors to the NCAA Third Round.
The 36 points from Morakis was a career-high and the most points by a Jumbos' player since Vincent Pace scored 37 against St. John Fisher March 4, 2017 in the NCAA Tournament Second Round. Medley also totaled a career-high with his 18 points. The Jumbos shot 75 percent in the second half, and were 23-of-27 (85.2 percent) from the line but Redlands' 17-9 edge in points off turnovers was the difference.
Gordon posted 22 points and 14 rebounds for Redlands, while Ferguson tallied 18 points including the game-winner. Kendrick Currey had 17 points, while Amadi also tallied 14 including the biggest shot of regulation.
The Jumbos finish their season at 22-6, while Redlands (24-4) advances to the next round of the NCAA Tournament to take on Hampden-Sydney College next Friday. The trip to the NCAA Tournament was the third straight for Tufts, making at least the NCAA Second Round in all three trips. The Jumbos also won 20 games for three straight seasons, the first time in program history.
--JUMBOS--
