NEW LONDON, CT (January 24, 2026) -- The No. 10 Tufts University men's basketball team trailed by 10 at the halftime break, but stormed back with 51 second-half points to rally for a 76-73 road victory at Connecticut College in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) action from Luce Field House.
The Jumbos extended their winning streak to 16 games on Saturday afternoon, and stayed unbeaten in the NESCAC at 5-0. The win sets up a match-up with Wesleyan University (15-4, 5-0 NESCAC) Friday night in Cousens Gymnasium for the top spot in the league, as the Cardinals upset No. 1 Trinity College Saturday to hand the Bantams their first loss of the year.
Saturday's win over the Camels (14-5, 2-3 NESCAC) didn't come easy though, as Connecticut College held the Jumbos to just 25 first-half points while leading 35-25 at the intermission. Senior
Joshua Bernstein had 10 points in the first half, but Tufts made just three of its 17 three-point attempts as the Camels led by as many as 11 in the first half.
Tufts stormed back with a 14-4 run over the first five minutes of the second half, deadlocking the game at 39 on a three-pointer by junior
Dylan Reilly. The run would continue as the Jumbos got back-to-back triples from first-year
Ricardo Nieves and Reilly to lead by five, pushing ahead by as many as 12 at 62-50 with 5:38 to go after a lay-up from Bernstein.
The Camels answered with an 8-0 run to make it a four-point game, but junior
Zion Watt connected on two huge three-pointers to keep CC at bay. Connecticut College continued to push and made all three free throws after a foul on a three-point attempt to make it 74-73 with 15 seconds left. Senior
Sidney Wooten made both ensuing free throws, and a pair of three-point attempts down the stretch by James LaFrance of Connecticut College wouldn't fall as Tufts held on for the win.
Tufts made 65.5 percent of its field goals in the second half, going 19-of-29, including nailing eight three-pointers on 14 attempts (57.1 percent). 14 of the 19 baskets were assisted as well.
Overall, four Jumbos were in double figures for the game as Bernstein had a team-high 18 points en route to another double-double with 10 rebounds as he went 9-of-12 from the field.
Watt drilled five three-pointers to finish with 17 points, while Reilly added 12 points, four assists and four rebounds. Senior
Scott Gyimesi nearly posted a triple-double Saturday, tallying 10 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high eight assists. Nieves came off the bench to score seven points, and sophomore
Robbie Nyamwaya also had five points and four caroms in nine minutes.
Tufts dominated inside with a 32-18 edge in points in the paint, while holding a 41-30 rebounding edge.
Elias Espinosa had a game-high 24 points in the loss, while Greg Cantwell and Dylan Watson each had 16 points as well for the Camels.
The Jumbos' originally scheduled game with Wentworth Institute of Technology on Monday at 7 p.m. has already been postponed, so Tufts next home game will be the big NESCAC tilt with Wesleyan Friday, January 30 at 7 p.m. in Medford.
--JUMBOS--
