MEDFORD, MA (January 30, 2026) -- The No. 9 Tufts University men's basketball team saw its 16-game win streak snapped Friday evening, as No. 19 Wesleyan University forced Tufts into a season-low 34.8 percent from the floor in earning a 68-61 win inside Cousens Gymnasium in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) action.
The win solidified Wesleyan (16-4, 6-0 NESCAC) atop the conference standings, while the Jumbos suffered their first league loss of the season.
The contest was tight throughout the second half as Tufts held a 56-50 lead after a jumper by
Scott Gyimesi with 5:07 to play. The Cardinals netted the next eight points to take a 58-56 advantage, but a three-pointer by
Dylan Reilly with 98 seconds remaining gave the lead back to the Jumbos. After a timeout, Wesleyan hit a baseball pass to a wide open layup by Sam Pohlman to make it 62-61. Tufts would miss its last two shots while the Cardinals went a perfect 6-for-6 at the line to ice the game.
The first half was much like the second, though a 10-0 run by the Jumbos over three minutes of the frame late gave Tufts its largest lead of the game at 35-24 with 4:26 to go in the opening stanza. Wesleyan scored the next seven points, as Tufts eventually ended up leading by five at 38-33 at the intermission after a big dunk at the buzzer by
Joshua Bernstein.
While neither team shot the ball well in the second half, Tufts went 1-for-12 in the period while Wesleyan's four made triples turned out to be the difference. Wesleyan was also a stout 20-of-23 at the free throw line, while Tufts made 8-of-12 (66.7 percent).
Senior
Scott Gyimesi tallied 14 points, five rebounds and five assists for the Jumbos, and Reilly was 3-of-9 from three-point land for 11 points and four boards. Junior
Jon Medley also added 10 points and six rebounds, while
James Morakis scored all eight of his points in the first half.
Junior
Zion Watt had seven points and eight rebounds, matched only on the glass by Bernstein and his eight boards.
Tufts was just 23-of-66 (34.8 percent) from the field, while making just seven of its 27 three-point attempts. The two teams combined for just 13 turnovers in the game.
Pohlman had a game-high 19 points, adding six rebounds and five assists, leading four players for the Cardinals in double figures.
Tufts will honor its five seniors Saturday afternoon in Cousens Gymnasium, taking on No. 2 Trinity College at 3 p.m. in the final regular season home game of the year Saturday.
--JUMBOS--
