The men's basketball team will host its first home NESCAC playoff game since 2006 on Saturday against the Bates Bobcats. On Jan. 28, the Jumbos defeated Bates 67-62 in a back-and-forth affair. In that matchup, four Jumbos scored in double figures, including junior forward Scott Anderson, who led all Tufts scorers with 13 points and eight rebounds.
One player to watch for the Bobcats is junior guard Mark Brust, who led all scorers with 29 points in the regular season tilt. Brust is second in scoring for the Bobcats, averaging 12 points per game on almost 40 percent shooting from the field.
Sophomore guard KwameFirempong (left) — the Jumbos' best on-ball defender, leading the team with 35 steals this season — will be responsible for stopping Brust. Firempong is often matched up against the opponent's best scoring guard and his play will be crucial for a Tufts squad that ranks last in the conference in scoring defense.
The Jumbos will finish their regular season at Cousens Gym tonight when they host Clark University. Tufts has already won 16 games, its highest total since the 2005-06 season, but could use some positive momentum heading into the NESCAC tournament.
