WORCESTER, MA (January 3, 2026) -- The No. 21 Tufts University men's basketball team picked up its biggest win of the 2025-26 campaign Saturday afternoon, outscoring host and No. 17 WPI 40-26 in the second half to pull away for a 70-52 win over the Engineers in action from Harrington Gymnasium.
The win was the 11th straight for the Jumbos, who upped their record to 11-2 on the campaign. The win streak is the longest for Tufts in program history, which eclipsed the previous high of 10 games, set multiple times and most recently in 2023.
The opening half saw the Jumbos and Engineers exchange the lead before a 7-0 run gave Tufts the lead for the remainder of the game. The Jumbos' first-half lead would grow to as high as eight, coming on a three-point play from senior
Scott Gyimesi to make it 25-17 with 5:37 to go in the first half.
WPI pulled to within three with 2:35 to go in the first half, but junior
Dylan Reilly nailed a three-pointer to put the Jumbos back up by two possessions as they took a 30-26 lead into halftime.
The second half saw Tufts up the intensity on defense, which led to the Jumbos pulling away. Tufts also shot 51.5 percent in the second stanza, holding WPI to just 9-of-25 shooting (36.0 percent) in the second 20 minutes.
Tufts took its first double-digit lead with 15:22 to go in regulation on another triple from Reilly, as the Jumbos went on a 10-0 run to take a 17-point edge at 50-33. A three-pointer by junior
Zion Watt gave Tufts its largest lead of the game at 66-41, as the Jumbos cruised to the ranked victory.
The win for the Jumbos over a ranked opponent was its first since knocking off No. 7 Keene State College 88-84 on December 4, 2024.
Gyimesi had another big game with his eighth double-double of the season, going for a game-high 24 points while posting 13 rebounds as well. Gyimesi was 9-of-15 from the floor, adding two steals as well.
Reilly contributed 14 points and four rebounds, knocking own four three-pointers, and senior
Joshua Bernstein had 13 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Watt added five points and five rebounds, and
Sidney Wooten tallied five points and five helpers.
Tufts hit 42.9 percent from the floor on the afternoon, going 27-for-63 for the contest. The Jumbos dominated inside, outscoring WPI 36-16 inside the paint.
J.R. Newman had 15 points for WPI (8-2), while Tim Reidy tallied 10 points as well off the bench. Justin Molen finished with seven points and eight rebounds as well.
Tufts will open New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play Friday, January 9 at 7 p.m. in Brunswick, Maine, taking on Bowdoin College in road action.
--JUMBOS--
