Tufts 78, Bates 65
at Lewiston, Maine

MEN'S HOOPS DROPS NESCAC OPENER, 78-65, TO TUFTS

LEWISTON, Maine Ð Five Tufts University players scored in double figures as the visiting Jumbos won their opening New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) game, 78-65, over Bates College today.

With the game tied, 23-23, with 7:58 remaining in the first half, Tufts (12-2, 1-0 NESCAC) used a 9-0 run over the next four and half minutes to take their biggest lead of the stanza on back-to-back baskets by senior center Dan Flaherty (Fairfield, Conn.). Bates cut the lead to six at the break, 34-28, on a hoop by junior forward Alex Wilson (Duxbury, Mass.). Flaherty led all scorers with 14 points at the break.

After Jumbo senior guard Bobby Mpuku (Westport, Conn.) hit a 3-pointer to open the second half, Bates (11-4, 0-1 NESCAC) went on a 9-2 run over the next five minutes, cutting the lead to 39-37 on a driving lay-up by rookie guard Ramon Garcia (Haverhill, Mass.) at the 15:31 mark. Tufts answered with a 9-1 run of their own to take a 48-38 lead with 11:24 left in the game. Bates twice cut the lead to five points, on 3-pointers by Garcia and junior guard Billy Hart (Haverhill, Mass.), but could not get any closer.

Bates' Hart led all scorers with 21 points, while Wilson registered his second straight double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Flaherty led the Tufts attack with 20 points and seven rebounds, while sophomore Brian Shapiro (Swampscott, Mass.) added 11 points and Mpuku, senior Fred Pedroletti (Miami, Fla.) and rookie Phil Barlow (Arlington, Mass.) each added 10.

The loss snaps Bates' school-record nine-game winning streak, while Tufts, ranked fifth in the most recent NCAA Northeast poll, picks up their eighth straight win.