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Date: January 14, 2005
Contact: Bill Sodoma

 

TUFTS OPEN NESCAC SEASON WITH 76-69 VICTORY OVER COLBY

MEDFORD, Mass. --- The scrappy Tufts University mens basketball team overcame an 11-point deficit in the second half to post a 76-69 victory against Colby College in the NESCAC opener for both schools at Cousens Gymnasium on Friday night.

Senior tri-captain Reggie Stovell (Washington, DC) once again led the Jumbos, who improved to 7-5 and 1-0 in the league. He had 17 points and 13 rebounds, while fellow senior tri-captain Drew Kaklamanos (Jupiter, FL) finished with 13 points, including 11 in the second half. Tufts put four players in double-figures overall.

Colby, which drops to 9-3 and 0-1, was led by 20 points from junior Andrew Jenkins (Gorham, ME), who connected on all five of his three-point attempts. Senior captain Pat McGowan (North Attleboro, MA) added 13 points and four assists to the Colby attack.

The game was a meeting between the top scoring team (Tufts) and the top defensive team (Colby) in the league. Tufts opened up a nine-point lead (34-25) in the first half when freshman Jake Weitzen (New York, NY) finished up a three-point play with 4:08 on the clock. Colby closed the half strong to get within two points, 41-39, at the break. Jenkins had 15 points, including four three-pointers, at the half for Colby. Weitzen had 12 for the Jumbos, who shot 51.4 percent (18/35) and out-rebounded the Mules 28-13 in the half.

The Mules opened the second half with a 10-2 run to take a 49-43 lead on Jenkins fifth three-pointer at the 16:51 mark. They pushed the margin to as high as 11 points, 59-48, when McGowan sank a jumper at 13:20. Colby led by eight, 65-57, at 8:27 when Tufts started to turn the game around. For nearly the next seven minutes, the Jumbos used a 15-2 run to take a 72-67 lead heading into the final minute. Stovell had eight points during the stretch.

Two free throws by Colbys Mike Rutherford (Wyckoff, NJ) closed the gap to 72-69 with 39 seconds remaining, but that was as close as the Mules would get. Tufts hit enough free throws and the Mules missed three shots down the stretch, giving the Jumbos their seventh victory after winning just eight games a year ago.

After shooting 6 for 11 from three-point land in the first half, Colby was just 3 for 11 in the second half. They shot 35.7% from the floor overall (25/70). Sophomore center Drew Cohen (Briarcliff Manor, NY) had 11 points, seven rebounds and three blocks for the Mules.