BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The nationally ranked Tufts University men's basketball team posted a 94-72 victory over Bridgewater State University on Friday evening at the Tinsley Center.
The game marked the season-opener for the #13 Jumbos (1-0), while the Bears (3-1) suffered their first loss of the 2024-2025 campaign.
The two teams were meeting for the first time since Nov. 17, 2007 when the Bears recorded a 96-70 win at the Brandeis Classic in Waltham.
Junior Scott Gyimesi (Fair Haven, N.J.) came within an assist and a rebound of a triple-double to lead the way for the Jumbos. Gyimesi registered 13 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.
Sophomore Jon Medley (Laurelton, N.Y.) notched a double-double for the visitors with 14 points and ten rebounds. Medley also dished out five assists. Sophomore Dylan Reilly (Sammamish, Wash.) led all scorers with 17 points while junior James Morakis (Dallas, Texas) tallied 16 points.
Junior Louis Jennings (Walpole, Mass.) paced Bridgewater State with 15 points and five board. The Bears also received 14 points apiece from junior Dante Kikuba (Framingham, Mass.) and sophomore Josh Campbell (Plymouth, Mass.), as well as ten points and four rebounds in 12 minutes off the bench from junior Samuel Omisore (Boston, Mass.). Kikuba dished out seven assists.
The Jumbos got up by as many as 14 points (34-20) in the first half and led 46-37 at the break.
Reilly tallied nine points in the opening stanza while Morakis dropped in eight. The Jumbos forced ten turnovers in the first half which led to a 11-2 advantage in points off turnovers.
Jennings led all players with 11 points over the first 20 minutes as he was 4-for-6 from the floor and 3-for-5 from behind the arc.
The Bears got no closer than nine points in the second half.
Tufts used runs of 11-3 and 11-1 during a 6 ½ minute stretch of the final stanza to open up their biggest lead of the game at 27 points (89-62) with just four minutes showing on the scoreboard.
The Jumbos shot 48% (34-71) for the game, including 11-for-30 (37%) from behind the arc, and connected on 15 of 20 (75%) free throw attempts. Tufts also held a 44-30 rebounding advantage with a 15-6 edge on the offensive glass which led to a decisive 18-0 differential in second chance points.
Bridgewater shot 46% (28-61) from the floor, 42% (8-19) from three-point range and 73% (8-11) at the free throw line.
The Bears are back in action on Tuesday night when they host the Lyons of Wheaton College at seven o'clock. The Jumbos travel to Emerson College on Sunday afternoon to take on the Lions at 3:30.