Tufts got back on track in the NESCAC after losses to Bowdoin and Williams, improving to 2-2 in the conference and 12-4 overall. Middlebury lost for the third time in their last four games and now stand at 11-6 overall and 1-3 in NESCAC.
The Jumbos only trailed in the first minute of play, but the didn’t put Middlebury away until the final 10 minutes of the game. In the first half, the hosts led by as many as 11 points three times, including 32-21 following two free throws by junior Jason Grauer (New York, NY) at 6:17. However, the Panthers out-scored Tufts 16-7 over the next five minutes to cut the margin down to two, 39-37, with a minute left in the half. Six different Panthers contributed to the stretch, led by four points from senior captain Sam Daly (Providence, RI).
Tufts led 41-37 at the break. Martin had nine points for the Jumbos, while sophomore Andrew Harris (Waterbury Center, VT) scored eight for the Panthers.
The Jumbos built their lead back into double-digits in the second half. They were up 52-40 following a lay-up by junior Brain Kumf (Milford, MA) at 14:45, and by 16 points (58-42) following a lay-up by senior tri-captain Brian Fitzgerald (Bedford, NH) at 12:38.
Middlebury stuck around and trailed by 10, 60-50, on a lay-up by junior Evan Thompson (New York, NY) at 10:22. A 10-2 Tufts run capped by a jumper from junior co-captain David Shepherd (Grantham, NH) at 5:53 gave the Jumbos an 18-point, 70-52 margin. When Middlebury closed to 13 (73-60) following two free throws by Kyle Dudley (Scarsdale, NY) at 3:04, Tufts answered with a three-pointer by sophomore Jeremy Black (Jamesville, NY). That was all she wrote.
Tufts held Middlebury to just 22.2 percent shooting in the second half (8/36) when the Jumbos earned a 39-26 advantage on the scoreboard. Tufts blocked 11 Panther shots in the game and enjoyed a 57-44 advantage in rebounds. Sophomore Jake Weizen (New York, NY) finished with 13 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks, while Kumf had 12 points, five rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Fitzgerald pulled down a game-high 11 boards.
Middlebury’s Harris was the game-high scorer with 20 points, netting 5 of 7 three-point field goals. He also corralled six rebounds. No other Panther scored in double-figures on a day when they shot just 28 percent (21/75) overall. Freshman Ben Rudin (Scarsdale, NY) had five of Middlebury’s 16 steals, while Thompson was productive with four points, eight rebounds and five assists.
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TUFTS JUMBOS 80, MIDDLEBURY PANTHERS 63 MIDDLEBURY PANTHERS (11-6, 1-3 NESCAC) Andrew Harris 7-14 1-2 20; Sam Daly 2-7 2-4 7; Aaron Smith 2-6 2-4 6; Kyle Dudley 1-5 4-7 6; Ben Rudin 2-11 1-2 5; Jake Moreno-Coplon 2-5 0-1 4; Evan Thompson 2-12 0-0 4; Matt Westman 1-1 2-2 4; Bobby Marcoux 1-2 1-2 3; Mike Walsh 0-3 2-2 2; Wil Hyatt 1-5 0-0 2; Ben Ehrlich 0-3 0-0 0; Albert Handy 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 21-75 15-26 63. TUFTS JUMBOS (12-4, 2-2 NESCAC) Dan Martin 7-22 3-5 17; Jake Weitzen 4-9 3-4 13; Brian Kumf 5-6 2-5 12; Jason Grauer 3-5 2-2 8; Brian Fitzgerald 2-4 2-2 7; David Shepherd 2-2 1-2 6; Jeremy Black 2-4 0-0 6; Ryan O'Keefe 2-9 1-2 5; Pat Sullivan 1-1 0-0 3; Aaron Gallant 1-1 0-0 3; Az Adhanom 0-1 0-0 0; Andrew Moehrke 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 29-65 14-22 80. Middlebury Panthers........... 37 26 - 63 Tufts Jumbos.................. 41 39 - 80 3-point goals-Middlebury Panthers 6-16 (Andrew Harris 5-7; Sam Daly 1-2; Kyle Dudley 0-1; Ben Rudin 0-1; Jake Moreno-Coplon 0-1; Wil Hyatt 0-4), Tufts Jumbos 8-18 (Jeremy Black 2-3; Jake Weitzen 2-5; Aaron Gallant 1-1; Pat Sullivan 1-1; Brian Fitzgerald 1-2; David Shepherd 1-1; Andrew Moehrke 0-1; Ryan O'Keefe 0-2; Jason Grauer 0-2). Fouled out--Middlebury Panthers-None, Tufts Jumbos-None. Rebounds-Middlebury Panthers 44 (Evan Thompson 8), Tufts Jumbos 57 (Brian Fitzgerald 11). Assists-Middlebury Panthers 14 (Evan Thompson 5), Tufts Jumbos 17 (David Shepherd 5). Total fouls-Middlebury Panthers 16, Tufts Jumbos 21. A-400