Men's basketball goes 2-1 over break

After nearly a month long winter recess, the men's basketball team started off the new year on a positive note, posting wins over Curry College and UMASS Boston before falling this past Saturday night to Plymouth State, bringing the Jumbos to 4-6 on the season.

Perhaps benefiting the most from the month off were junior point guard Eric Mack and freshman forward Dan Martin, both of whom began the season on the injured list.

"The month off allowed me to catch up to the rest of the team," Mack said. "I've been able to get out and run on my own to get in shape for the season."

While neither Mack, who earned the starting job at the beginning of the season before falling to injury, nor Martin is back to full strength, coach Bob Sheldon is slowly working them back into the lineup.

Tufts opened its second semester with a 87-77 victory over Curry College. The Jumbos were led by senior guard Mike McGlynn and sophomore center Craig Coupe, who both scored 19 points, with Coupe adding nine rebounds and three assists. Tufts won the game with defense and rebounding, holding the Colonels to just 25 shots in the first half, and dominating them 46-31 on the boards. The victory ended Tufts' two game losing streak, dating back to the before the winter recess.

Two nights later, the Jumbos hosted UMass Boston in a battle of local schools, barely squeezing by the Beacons 95-92. Tufts, which gave up 58 second half points to blow a 20 point lead, was once again led by McGlynn, who scored 25, and Coupe, who scored 18 and had 10 rebounds and three assists.

Tufts shot 51 percent from the field in the game, but turned the ball over 28 times, allowing the Beacons to claw their way back into the game in the second half. However, late clutch free throw shooting by McGlynn and junior forward Reggie Stovell sealed the victory for Tufts.

Again, after only one day of rest, the Jumbos traveled to Salem, MA to face the 6-3 Salem State Vikings, falling in a tough battle, 87-77. The Jumbos were forced to compete without head coach Bob Sheldon, who was absent due to a death in the family.

The teams played almost identical first halves, both shooting 40 percent from the field and 30 percent from behind the arc, but Salem State went on a 12-0 run to end the half, and took the lead 35-31. Both teams continued their hot shooting in the second, but Salem dominated the Jumbos from the free throw line down the stretch, which proved to be the difference in the game.

The Vikings went on an 11-0 run with under ten minutes left in the second half, turning a nine point deficit into a two point lead. While the Jumbos were within five points with under a minute to go, four free throws by Viking guards sealed the game for Salem.

Tufts was led yet again by McGlynn, who scored 19 points and dished out five assists, and Coupe, who scored 12 points and led the team with eight rebounds.

"Over this three game stretch, we have certainly not played up to our potential," Mack said. "I mean, we played okay, but we definitely could have played better."

The loss ended Tufts' two-game winning streak, and put it at 4-6 overall on the season going into its first NESCAC match up this season at Connecticut College. Despite falling to the Camels in each of the past three years, the Jumbos are confident going into the weekend.

"We are going to beat both Connecticut College and Wesleyan," Mack said.