MEDFORD, MA (February 18, 2026) -- The No. 11 Tufts University men's basketball team opens its postseason Saturday afternoon at home at 2 p.m. inside Cousens Gymnasium, taking on seventh-seed Colby College in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Tournament quarterfinals. The Jumbos enter the playoffs with a 19-4 overall mark, going 8-2 within the league, following Sunday's seven-point road win at Bates College to secure the No. 2 seed in the NESCAC Tournament.
Game Details
Opponent: vs. Colby College (16-8, 4-6 NESCAC)
Date: Saturday, February 21, 2026
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Location: Medford, Mass. –
Cousens Gym -
Directions
Live Coverage:
LIVE STATS –
LIVE VIDEO
Jumbos vs. Mules All-Time
Tufts holds a slight 36-31 lead in the series with Colby College dating back to 1958, while Tufts is 17-8 at home during that time. The Jumbos have won six of the last eight meetings overall, while Tufts has not lost to Colby inside Cousens Gymnasium since 2010. Earlier this season, the Jumbos knocked off Colby 88-66 up in Waterville, as junior
Dylan Reilly scored a career-high 27 points as he led five players in double figures. The Jumbos own a 3-0 edge in the NESCAC Tournament series, which includes a double-overtime win, 102-94, in the 2020 championship game, the last meeting between the teams.
A Look at the Jumbos (19-4, 8-2 NESCAC)
Tufts enters the NESCAC Quarterfinals riding the profile of one of the conference's most balanced and efficient teams. The Jumbos are 19-4 overall and 8-2 in league play, combining scoring punch with defensive consistency to produce a +14.5 scoring margin. They average nearly 80 points per game while holding opponents to just over 65, a differential driven by depth, rebounding dominance, and interior defensive presence. Their strong 8-3 road record and perfect 3-0 neutral mark also underscore a group that has been comfortable in varied environments throughout the season.
Tufts ranks fourth in the conference in offensive output this season, while also ranking fourth in points allowed per game at 65.2.
At the center of Tufts' identity is a physical interior tandem that controls both ends of the floor.
Scott Gyimesi anchors the offense with 15.8 points and 9.6 rebounds per game while shooting an efficient .549 from the field, providing both scoring reliability and glass control. Alongside him,
Joshua Bernstein has emerged as one of the most efficient finishers in the conference, converting .665 of his field goal attempts while adding 8.9 rebounds and a team-leading 39 blocks. Together, they establish Tufts' interior edge, fueling a +7.6 rebounding margin and a shot-blocking presence that shapes opponents' offensive decisions. The pair is 1-2 in the NESCAC in rebounding.
Perimeter production provides the complementary dimension that makes Tufts difficult to defend.
Dylan Reilly has been the team's primary long-range threat, knocking down 49 three-pointers at a .377 clip while averaging just over 10 points per game.
Zion Watt adds another spacing element with 42 made threes, while the Jumbos as a team average 8.5 three-pointers per contest. This balance between interior scoring and perimeter shooting has helped Tufts shoot .460 from the field overall, forcing opponents to defend the entire floor.
Ball movement and decision-making have also been defining traits. Tufts averages 16 assists per game with a positive assist-to-turnover ratio, reflecting an offense that emphasizes efficiency over isolation.
Jon Medley leads the team and is third in the NESCAC with 69 assists while also contributing double-figure scoring, and multiple rotation players provide secondary playmaking. That distribution depth allows Tufts to maintain offensive structure even when primary options are defended closely.
Defensively, the Jumbos have been one of the conference's most disruptive groups. They hold opponents to .383 shooting from the field and generate 7.5 steals and 5.7 blocks per game. Their ability to contest at the rim while limiting clean perimeter looks has kept opposing scoring totals consistently low, particularly in conference play where Tufts has allowed just 63.5 points per game. The defensive consistency has been especially evident in wins over top NESCAC competition.
Conference play sharpened Tufts' identity even further. The Jumbos went 8–2 in league games while maintaining strong efficiency on both ends, outscoring opponents by more than 11 points per contest. Their 88-66 win at Colby in January showcased their ability to control tempo, win the rebounding battle, and separate offensively in the second half. Even in narrow losses to Wesleyan and Amherst, Tufts remained defensively competitive, reinforcing a profile built on consistency rather than volatility.
Another hallmark of Tufts' season has been lineup versatility. The Jumbos deploy a deep rotation capable of adjusting to match-up demands, with bench contributors providing scoring, perimeter shooting, and defensive energy. Role players such as
Ricardo Nieves and
James Morakis have supplied key minutes in support roles, allowing Tufts to maintain pace and physicality over extended stretches. That depth has helped the team sustain performance across a demanding schedule without significant statistical drop-off.
The Jumbos are looking for their second NESCAC title this season, with the first coming back in 2020.
A Look at the Mules (16-8, 4-6 NESCAC)
Colby enters the NESCAC Quarterfinals with a 16-8 overall record and a 4-6 conference mark. The Mules average 76.9 points per game while allowing 72.1, producing a +4.8 scoring margin. They have been strong on the glass throughout the season, averaging 41.1 rebounds per game with a +6.8 rebound margin. Colby shoots .436 from the field, .338 from three-point range, and .729 from the free throw line as a team.
Offensively, Colby is led by Dan Civello, who averages 18.2 points per game, second in the NESCAC, while shooting .532 from the field and .400 from three-point range. He also contributes 5.9 rebounds and 71 assists. Max Poulton adds 11.4 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, while Sam Hinman contributes 11.1 points and leads the team with 57 made three-pointers. The Mules average 9.8 made three-pointers per game and distribute the ball effectively with 17.5 assists per contest.
Additional scoring depth comes from Marcos Montiel (8.4 ppg), Mason Dobie (6.5 ppg), and Savion Stroud, who contributes 6.0 points while leading the team with 91 assists and 36 steals. Theo Pow provides interior efficiency, shooting .519 from the field with 5.4 points per game. The team features multiple rotation players averaging between 4 and 8 points, contributing to balanced scoring distribution across the lineup.
Colby's defensive numbers show moderate efficiency with opponents shooting .401 from the field and .323 from three-point range. The team averages 5.8 steals and 3.5 blocks per game. However, Colby allows more opponent steals and blocks than it produces and carries a negative turnover margin, averaging 14.0 turnovers per game compared to 10.3 forced.
In conference play, Colby averaged 72.2 points per game while allowing 75.9, resulting in a negative scoring margin. The team shot .422 from the field and .298 from three-point range in league contests. Civello remained the primary scorer in conference games at 18.7 points per game, with Poulton and Theo Pow providing secondary production.
Colby is the No. 7 seed for the second consecutive season and is making its sixth tournament appearance in seven years.
Other NESCAC Quarterfinals
No. 1 Wesleyan Cardinals (19-5, 9-1 NESCAC) vs. No. 8 Conn. College (16-8, 4-6 NESCAC) - Middletown, CT
No. 3 Trinity Bantams (22-2, 8-2 NESCAC) vs. No. 6 Bowdoin Polar Bears (15-9, 5-5 NESCAC) - Hartford, CT
No. 4 Amherst (18-6, 7-3 NESCAC) vs. No. 5 Bates Bobcats (17-7, 5-5 NESCAC) - Amherst, MA
--JUMBOS--
