Jumbos weekend win puts team on track for home playoff game

Mike McGlynn's 300th career three-pointer couldn't have come at a sweeter time. Just over five minutes into his last regular season game at Cousens Gym, with the Jumbos down 13-14 to Colby, the senior guard nailed number 300 to give Tufts a two point lead. The team never trailed again.

McGynn would hit four threes on the day in leading the team to an 89-71 rout of the White Mules that wasn't nearly as close as the final score indicated.

The NESCAC victory was the second in as many days for the Jumbos, who defeated Bowdoin on Friday night behind 18 points from sophomore Reggie Stovell.

Pleasing the large contingent of fans there to see him on Senior's day, McGlynn did not disappoint as he came out firing early. He nailed his first three 1:30 into the game with a hand in his face, and it was apparent that it was only a matter of time before he launched himself into the history books.

"I wasn't really thinking about, that's just how I play," McGlynn said. "I wasn't really trying to get it, but obviously I knew what I was at."

The guard's first three gave Tufts its first lead of the game, but Colby was able to keep it close, and tied the game at 20-20 on a bucket by freshman Michael Westbrooks. Three treys from senior co-captain Brian Shapiro over the next five minutes, including two back-to-back keyed a 31-9 run by the Jumbos that gave them a 51-30 lead at halftime. The run also featured ten points from sophomore Deyvehn East, as well as nine points from McGlynn.

"They were playing a triangle and two, kind of a trick defense," coach Bob Sheldon said. "And that's okay if there's only two guys you've got to stop. But we have so many weapons that I knew it was just a matter of time before we figured it out and started scoring again."

The second half opened with an 18-8 run by the Jumbos and the rout had begun. Tufts led by 31 points at 13:53, and stretched the lead to as many as 33 on three separate occasions. Colby made a late run after all of Tufts' starters were out, but it was far too little, and way too late as the Jumbos ran away with the victory and moved into third place in the NESCAC.

McGlynn hit four three pointers on the day to finish with a game high 19 points, and now sits at 302 for his career. With two regular season games left, he needs one more to move into the top 20 all time for total three-pointers in Div. III. Shapiro also connected on four of his seven three point attempts to finish with 16 points. Stovell finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds, his second double-double in his last four games and his fourth consecutive game in double digits.

Friday night was a different story for the Jumbos, as Tufts trailed for the majority of the game against Bowdoin. Tufts was down 33-32 at the half and trailed by four with 5:22 left in the game. But a 16-2 Tufts run put the team up 73-62 with 33 second left to play, and the game was essentially over.

Stovell led the way for Tufts with 18 points and eight rebounds. McGlynn finished with 16 points, while sophomore Craig Coupe had 13 points and 12 rebounds.

With the end of the season approaching, the Jumbos' two weekend wins puts them in prime position to nab a home playoff slot. The top four teams in the NESCAC receive home court berths in the tournament.

"The playoffs are what every man dreams of," Stovell said. "I think we want [a home game] bad. I can feel it, and personally I'm starting to get very hungry."

Tufts will head to Middlebury on Friday before what will likely be the biggest game of the season at Williams on Saturday.

"Williams is going to be a big game, but we can't look past Middlebury," McGlynn said. "They're a good team, especially in their own gym where they shoot the ball real well."