Stovell has best weekend of the season

Even Saturday's dismal 20 point loss wasn't enough to ruin the weekend for Tufts sophomore forward Reggie Stovell.

Stovell finished Saturday's game against Trinity with a double-double (12 points, 13 rebounds), and finished the weekend with a combined 32 points and 20 rebounds, his best two game spurt of the season.

Against Amherst on Friday night, Stovell led the Jumbos in their upset of the eighth ranked team in the nation with 20 points, and brought the house down in the closing minutes of the game with a thunderous dunk over Amherst All-American Steve Zieja, who fouled out on the play.

"To tell you the truth I didn't know [I could jump that high] either," Stovell said. "But I took off and kept going. Playing against an All-American, I really wanted to step up my game. I've never dunked in a game before, and to have it be against an All-American, that's pretty special."

Stovell's weekend performance came as something of a surprise, especially after the three games prior to Friday night's matchup. In those contests, at UMass Dartmouth, Bates, and Brandeis, Stovell scored five, four, and three points respectively.

"We had a talk with Reggie," coach Bob Sheldon said. "And we just told him 'You're thinking too much, and trying to do too much. You've just gotta play.'"

Sheldon's "just play" method seems to fit well with Stovell. The combination of a 6'5", 220 pound frame, a sweet jumper, and all out intensity makes Stovell somewhat of a NESCAC oddity, and a potentially dangerous weapon for the Jumbos.

Stovell too would likely agree that he is at his best when he can "just play." After Trinity freshman Tyler Rhoten lit up the Jumbos for 39 points on Saturday, Stovell said that, were the matchup not in the controlled confines of Cousens Gym, Rhoten never would have had such a performance.

"Let me tell you this. If the refs weren't on his side, I'm telling you I would have guarded him balls out and I would have been effective," he said. "If we're playing in the park, he's done. He's out."

But that might be as far as the "in your face" street ball mentality goes for Stovell. The forward was quick to pay his respects to Rhoten, who had 26 points in the first half alone.

"He had a great day," Stovell said. "You've got to give him that. He's a good player."



>No troubles here

Despite shooting 2-10 from behind the three point line on Saturday, and 4-14 combined for the weekend, senior guard Mike McGlynn said that there's nothing wrong with his jumper.

"I wouldn't say that [I'm having shooting problems]," McGlynn said after Saturday's game. "Teams know who I am now so I'm not going to get any open looks. I've got to get my scoring other ways _ go to the basket and get to the line. I'm scoring the same amount of points as last year, I'm just doing it in different ways."

McGlynn has averaged 17.7 points per game this season, which is nearly the same as last year's 18.0 PPG. He scored 26 points on Saturday to lead the Jumbos in the losing effort, only six of which came on three pointers. McGlynn elected to drive to the basket on numerous occasions, and went to the line more than any other player, where he shot 10-10.

It seems that opposing teams still recognize McGlynn primarily as a deep threat, however. Trinity guards were continually in McGlynn's face whenever he touched the ball outside, which may be the reason for his sub-par 2-10 performance from downtown.



Finally some fans

After they had played seven consecutive games on the road, the Jumbos were no doubt happy to see a near packed house turn out for Friday night's game against Amherst.

Amherst freshman John Bedford was probably not as happy about the turnout however, as rows of fans taunted him throughout the game. Bedford is currently in the midst of a lawsuit against Davidson College and its basketball coach for revoking an offer for a full four-year basketball scholarship.

Fans who showed up for the game brought signs making fun of Bedford, and chanted "Davidson" whenever the freshman touched the ball.