The victory lifted the Jumbos to 8-1 at home, 13-4 overall and 3-2 in the league. Wesleyan remained winless in NESCAC at 0-5 while dropping to 6-11 overall. They have lost six in a row.
Tufts shot 59.4 percent (19/32) in the first half and 55.1 percent for the game (38/69). The Jumbos hit at 50 percent from three-point territory, making 11 of 22. In contrast, the Cardinals were 7 for 22 overall in the first half (31.8%) and 20 for 57 (35.1%) in the game. The contest included 44 fouls (28 on Tufts) and 48 turnovers.
The Jumbos never trailed after sophomore Ryan O’Keefe (Everett, MA) scored the opening basket at 19:27. Leading 11-8 at 13:00, they out-scored the Cardinals 19-4 over the next six minutes to lead by 18, 30-12, on a three-pointer by O’Keefe at 7:33. Their lead would be double-digits for the rest of the game. The closest Wes would get was 13 points (32-19) on a lay-up by sophomore Sean Collins (Old Lyme, CT) at 5:44 of the first half.
O’Keefe had 10 points at halftime while sophomore Jeremy Black (Jamesville, NY) posted seven assists for Tufts. Martin and junior tri-captain David Shepherd (Grantham, NH) had nine points apiece in the first 20 minutes. Junior Jared Ashe (Stamford, CT) had nine at the half for the Cardinals.
Into the second half, Tufts opened a 20-point lead (51-31) on a free throw by Martin at 18:49. It reached 30 (68-38) on Black’s three-pointer at 14:42. The Jumbo lead maxed out at 33 points twice, 80-47 and 91-58. The 25-point final margin is the largest of the season for the Jumbos.
Both teams went to their benches early in the second half. Tufts finished with 13 players in its scoring column. O’Keefe had 12, making all five of his shots. Shepherd and guard Dacson Sears (Queens, NY) had 11 apiece, with Sears knocking down three three-pointers in the second half. Black finished with 10 assists, the most by a Jumbo since Shepherd had 11 against Colby last February 19. Tufts had 21 assists on 38 baskets overall, but also committed 25 turnovers.
Wesleyan was led by Ashe’s game-highs in points with 18 and rebounds with eight. Collins added 12 points, while sophomore Sam Grover (Williston, VT) chipped in with five points, six rebounds and two blocks. Sophomore Nick Pelletier (Amherst, NH) scored nine points.
Both teams shot poorly from the free throw line. Wesleyan missed 20 free throws total, shooting just 27 for 47 (57.4%). Tufts wasn’t at the line nearly as much, but made only 8 of 14 shots for 57.1 percent.
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TUFTS JUMBOS 95, WESLEYAN CARDINALS 70 WESLEYAN CARDINALS (6-11, 0-5 NESCAC) Jared Ashe 5-10 8-10 18; Sean Collins 3-10 6-11 12; Nick Pelletier 2-6 4-10 9; Mike Raymond 1-1 4-4 7; Lightning Jay 2-2 1-2 5; Sam Grover 2-2 1-2 5; Stan Grayson 2-6 0-0 4; Will Griffin 1-1 1-2 3; Jimmy Shepherd 1-7 0-0 3; Steve Tolbert 0-2 2-6 2; G.Gonzalez-Kreisberg 1-3 0-0 2; Eric Winters 0-6 0-0 0; Jonathan Sargent 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 20-57 27-47 70. TUFTS JUMBOS (13-4, 3-2 NESCAC) Dan Martin 6-9 4-6 16; Ryan O'Keefe 5-5 0-0 12; David Shepherd 5-7 0-0 11; Dacson Sears 4-6 0-0 11; Brian Kumf 4-7 0-2 8; Jason Grauer 3-4 0-0 7; Pat Sullivan 3-7 0-0 6; Jeremy Black 2-6 0-0 6; Brian Fitzgerald 1-1 4-4 6; Aaron Gallant 2-3 0-0 5; Jake Weitzen 1-5 0-0 3; Carl Onubogu 1-3 0-0 2; Ross Trethewey 1-2 0-1 2; Az Adhanom 0-4 0-1 0. Totals 38-69 8-14 95. Wesleyan Cardinals............ 30 40 - 70 Tufts Jumbos.................. 48 47 - 95 3-point goals-Wesleyan Cardinals 3-9 (Mike Raymond 1-1; Jimmy Shepherd 1-4; Nick Pelletier 1-3; Steve Tolbert 0-1), Tufts Jumbos 11-22 (Dacson Sears 3-4; Jeremy Black 2-5; Ryan O'Keefe 2-2; Aaron Gallant 1-1; Jake Weitzen 1-1; David Shepherd 1-1; Jason Grauer 1-2; Az Adhanom 0-3; Ross Trethewey 0-1; Pat Sullivan 0-2). Fouled out--Wesleyan Cardinals-None, Tufts Jumbos-Brian Fitzgerald. Rebounds-Wesleyan Cardinals 39 (Jared Ashe 8), Tufts Jumbos 42 (Carl Onubogu 6; Jason Grauer 6). Assists-Wesleyan Cardinals 10 (Steve Tolbert 3), Tufts Jumbos 21 (Jeremy Black 10). Total fouls-Wesleyan Cardinals 16, Tufts Jumbos 28. A-600