What do you say after a game like that? That the Jumbos showed heart? That they proved their resilience? That they refused to let a home loss stain the end of their regular season? Yes, yes and absolutely. It wasn’t always pretty, but No. 14 Tufts clawed back from the brink on Saturday, erasing a 10-point deficit in the final minutes to force overtime before dispatching Bates 83–75 at Cousens Gym. View more photos from the game here.
The win cemented Tufts at 20–4 overall and 8–2 in NESCAC play, earning them the No. 3 seed in the upcoming conference tournament. But forget the numbers for a second — this was a gut-check win, the kind that can shape a team’s postseason mentality. And for head coach Brandon Linton, it marked career win number 100. He’d probably tell you that it was among the most hard-earned.
Survive and Advance
The Jumbos started the night honoring their five seniors. They ended it exhausted, exhilarated and very much still in the hunt for a championship. But for most of the game, Bates looked like they were in control.
Tufts struck first, jumping out to a 10–5 lead behind an early three from junior guard James Morakis, but Bates quickly settled in. A layup from forward Babacar Pouye gave the Bobcats an 18–16 lead midway through the first half, and from there they dictated the tempo. The Bobcats held the Jumbos to a brutal 30.3% shooting clip in the first half and took a 35–32 advantage into the break.
The second half was more of the same — every time Tufts found a spark, Bates snuffed it out. The Bobcats led by as many as 12 points with under 10 minutes remaining, and Cousens Gym felt eerily quiet. The Jumbos needed a jolt. Around the seven-minute mark, Tufts made a critical defensive adjustment, shifting into a 3–2 zone. The change immediately disrupted Bates’ offensive rhythm, leading to multiple turnovers and transition opportunities. The Bobcats suddenly looked rattled, and Tufts seized the momentum. Enter Quinn Cain. The senior guard drilled a 3-pointer, igniting an 11–1 Tufts run. Suddenly, the deficit was just 2 points.
Then came Morakis. The Jumbos’ go-to scorer delivered 9 straight points in crunch time, capping the run with a pair of clutch free throws to give Tufts a 68–66 lead with 27 seconds left. The crowd was back into the game. The comeback was complete.
Well, almost. Bates wasn’t done. Guard Brady Coyne was fouled on the next possession and calmly sank both free throws, tying the game at 68. Sophomore guard Dylan Reilly, Tufts’ signature sharpshooter, had the ball in his hands for the final possession of regulation. The Jumbos put their trust in him, hoping for one more clutch shot to cap off their furious rally. His 3-pointer at the buzzer looked on line but bounced off the inside rim. Overtime.
Overtime Domination
Once the extra period began, there was no doubt who the better team was. Tufts owned overtime, opening with a 7–0 burst and holding Bates scoreless for the first three and a half minutes. Bates made one final push, but it wasn’t enough to close the deficit. The Jumbos clamped down defensively, forcing a desperate three from the Bobcats that missed the mark. Tufts iced the game at the line, hitting six free throws in the final 90 seconds to close out the win.
Junior forward Scott Gyimesi, a double-double machine all season, controlled the boards, finishing with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Senior forward Trumann Gettings, in his first start of the year, delivered a season-high 15 points.
It was far from a perfect game. Tufts shot just 39.7% from the field and 28% from deep, but they found a way. That’s what matters in February.
The victory marked the first time in Tufts men’s basketball history that the team finished a regular season with 20 wins, a milestone that underscores just how strong this squad has been all year. “The accomplishment definitely means a lot for our team, but this was the expectation for our group internally,” Gyimesi wrote to the Daily. “We know the capabilities we have and the high goals that we have as a group, so while it does feel good to get this accomplishment, it is part of the process.”
Looking Ahead
The Jumbos now turn their attention to the postseason, when they’ll host No. 6 seed Williams in the NESCAC quarterfinals. Tufts enters the tournament ranked No. 3 in the conference in scoring margin (+13.0 PPG) and No. 2 in rebounding margin (+8.9 RPG) — two stats that should serve them well in the playoffs.
“The mindset heading into the NESCAC tournament is to just attack each day,” Gyimesi wrote. “We know we can’t dwell on past performances this time of the year. It’s just about bringing everything you have each play and each game and leaving it all out there on the court. Regardless of outcome, I’m confident in our group if we give all we have each game.”
Tufts’ journey to this point has been defined by resilience, execution and a belief in their ability to compete with the best. The challenges of the postseason are different, and every possession will matter just a bit more. But if the Jumbos stick to the formula that got them here, they’ll be a tough team to beat.
The regular season is in the books. The real season starts now.
