While most of their fellow Jumbos were relishing in the respite that winter break provides, the men's basketball team was plodding its way through a winter campaign. The unsuccessful six-game stretch came to an end on Tuesday, with a 75-67 loss to Wheaton.
"We did not get it done," senior co-captain Eric Mack said in reference to the Wheaton game. "We played well for most of the game, but not good enough to win."
The story of the Wheaton game is the same as many of the games Tufts has played this season. The Jumbos shot out of the gait with a nine-point lead in the early minutes of the game, only to see it disintegrate to a four-point deficit at the end of the half.
Tufts kept it close in the second, and tied the game at 54-54 with just over seven minutes left. The team was unable to regain the lead, however, as Wheaton pulled away with an 8-2 run.
"We have to play as hard as we can from the beginning of the game, not just the last ten minutes," Mack said. "Sometimes we take a few plays off and teams come back. We're not playing hard for 40 minutes."
The Lyons notched their ninth victory of the season with the victory, while the Jumbos took their tenth loss, the fifth of the six winter-break games.
Previous to the Wheaton loss, Tufts split back-to-back games against its first NESCAC competitors of the season.
The Jumbos got their only win of the break in a 77-70 victory over Connecticut College last Friday. Unlike their other matches, the Jumbos saw their six-point half-time lead turn into a victory, which included recovering from a 26-16 Camel run that culminated in a tie score (57-57) with 8-minutes left in regulation. The victory ended a five game losing streak for the Jumbos -- the longest losing streak since 1999.
The team followed up that victory with a 100-88 loss to Wesleyan the next day. The squad took its first, and what would be its only lead of the game with an opening layup by sophomore Scott Armstrong. Beyond that point Wesleyan built its lead over the course of the game, and Tufts was unable to find a voice with which to answer.
Through the Jumbos split their first NESCAC games, the team was able to learn one basic lesson to carry throughout its NESCAC season.
"We know we can beat anyone at this point in this season," Mack said. "But, at the same time we know we can lose to anyone also."
In the two NESCAC games, Armstrong, who averaged 19.5 points on 56 percent shooting and 7 rebounds, led the Jumbos. Senior co-captain Deyvehn East also contributed with 18 points, six rebounds and three assists in each of Tufts two conference tilts.
Tufts also participated in the CUA Pepsi Classic hosted by Catholic University in Washington D.C. In both games of the weekend, the team managed to blow first half leads. Greensborough College claimed its 80-58 win from the Jumbos as they were still nursing their wounds from the 71-51 loss to Kean College the day before.
"The teams we played there were both pretty good and it showed that we were definitely capable of competing with anyone," Mack said. "But, at the same that if we want to win we need to do some things differently."
The break also included a close, 74-77 loss to UMASS Boston. The game saw the return of junior Reggie Stovell to the court. In his first six games, Stovell has been shooting better than 40 percent, and has contributed 37 rebounds.
In order to turn things around, Mack believes the team must increase the pressure it puts on opposing teams' guards and force the game tempo. Offensively, the team wants the ball to be entered into the post whenever possible.
Tufts now sits at 3-10 for the season. This includes a 1-1 NESCAC record, which puts them in fifth place in the conference.
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