Basketball

Basketball

Men's Basketball | Bobcats silence Jumbos' offense to end season

February 27

All season, the men's basketball team had no problem with offense, leading the conference in scoring. On Saturday, that offense was nowhere to be found as the second-seeded Jumbos lost to third-seeded Bates 60-54 in the second round of the NESCAC Tournament. The Jumbos' offense, coming into the game averaging 82.8 points per game, could only muster 54 points against the Bobcats, shooting 35.5 percent from the floor in the game. The offensive output was tied for lowest of the season for the Jumbos. "It was a hard-fought game," coach Bob Sheldon said. "I felt we didn't shoot the ball well. We've been relying on offense all year. Our defense has been good, but we just have got to get more than 60 points." The loss ended a season for Tufts in which the Jumbos doubled their win total, finishing with a 16-10 record. After coughing up its feeble first half lead and allowing the Bobcats to jump ahead and grab hold of a second half lead, the Jumbos managed to narrow the gap in the closing minutes. With 3:06 left in the game and the Jumbos down by five, junior Dan Martin caught a pass from sophomore Dave Shepherd at the free throw line and hit the 15-footer to cut the deficit to 54-51. The Jumbos turned up the pressure on defense on the next possession and freshman Ryan O'Keefe knocked the ball away from Bates sophomore Zak Ray and then dove to the floor for the ball. Several Jumbos and Bobcats followed, diving to the floor and scrambling for the basketball. After the tussle was cleared up, the referees called a tie-up and the possession arrow favored Tufts. On the other end of the floor, with a chance to cut the lead to one, Martin missed a layup. "We ran a play," Sheldon said. "It's a play that has an inside option and an outside option. I said we didn't have to shoot the three. Let's just get the ball in there. Actually, I think we got a great shot. We just missed an easy layup. That would have cut it to one, and it's a whole different game, but we missed some shots we normally make." Despite the miss and a basket at the other end by the Bobcats, Tufts still had a chance to get back in the game. With 1:58 left in the game and the Jumbos trailing 56-51, senior tri-captain Reggie Stovell stepped right into the lane, spun back to the left side, raised up for a layup and drew the foul. Stovell settled in and sunk the pair of free throws to pull the Jumbos within a basket at 56-53. After two layups off of offensive rebounds by Bates sophomore Rob Stockwell and a missed three-pointer by O'Keefe, the Jumbos, trailing by seven in the final minute, desperately needed a basket. Shepherd got to the line and made the first free throw. After his second attempt missed, senior tri-captain Drew Kaklamanos skied for the rebound, and the Jumbos were still alive. The team got three more shots on that possession, but none of them fell and the Jumbos' hopes were dashed. "We went cold," assistant coach Reggie Hobbs said. "We couldn't make a shot. I thought we had some good shots. They just didn't go down. That's the game." After shooting 42.4 percent in the first half, Tufts shot just 27.6 percent in the second. The Bobcats were not much better, shooting just 34.2 percent in the half and 36.5 percent for the game. "If you looked at this game, you never would have thought it would be 54-60," Hobbs said. "You'd think it would be in the 80 [point range]. Both teams like to play that way, but both teams locked down defensively." The team appeared to be in good shape in the first half. After trailing 21-14 early in the game, the Jumbos utilized four of ten outside shooting in the half to take a 32-30 lead in the first half on a turnaround jumper in the post by Shepherd. Coming out of the locker room, the Jumbos quickly fell down 40-34. They fought back, however, to claim a 45-44 lead on a three-pointer by Stovell. Things deteriorated from there as the Bobcats went on a 10-0 run. Tufts was never able to reclaim the lead. Bates' strong defense was the major source of the Jumbos' struggles. "Bates played great defense," Martin said. "You can't take anything away from them. We didn't have our offense as much as we've had in the past, but they just came out hard." The game ended the collegiate careers of senior tri-captain Jesse Belodoff, Stovell and Kaklamanos. Stovell, who had a rough start to the game, scoring six points and grabbing two rebounds in the first half, finished the game with 21 points and 13 rebounds, solidifying his case for NESCAC Player of the Year. "I'm going to miss the seniors incredibly," Martin said. "I came in with Jesse and Drew. They came in as sophomores. I was a freshman that year. I love them all. Reggie, he's going to be missed so much. I'm just really heartbroken right now. I can't say enough about them. [They're] incredible people and incredible athletes. I don't know what it's going to be like next year." According to the coaching staff, however, the presence of the seniors will still be felt next year. "Without the seniors, we wouldn't have accomplished our goal," Hobbs said. "Their mark on this program is going to be around for a long time because of what they did in terms of leadership and intangibles."

Basketball

Men's Basketball | Tufts reins in Mules during first round of NESCAC Tournament

February 21

It took the men's basketball team a while to gain offensive momentum on Saturday against the Colby Mules in the first round of the NESCAC Tournament. But once the Jumbos started scoring, Colby could do nothing to stop them. After heading into halftime with a tender 39-36 lead, the Jumbo offense came out full force in the second half to score 60 points and bury the Mules 99-88 to advance to the NESCAC Tournament semifinals. "It was a good playoff game," coach Bob Sheldon said. "Both teams were evenly matched. They slowed it down in the first half and then in the second half, I think we imposed our will a little bit and got the pace up to how we wanted it." Playing against a smaller lineup, the Jumbos came into the game trying to pound the ball inside. The strategy worked, as the team outscored the Mules 48-26 in the paint and out-rebounded them 57-36. The Jumbos scored their first 30 points of the game from in the paint or from the free throw line. Despite the success in the lane, the Jumbos found themselves trailing by as many as seven points in the first half as Colby played tough defense and shot 9-10 for free-throws. Mules senior Pat McGowan scored 14 first-half points and ended up with a game-high 28 in his final collegiate game. "I think we just came out a little bit flat," senior tri-captain Drew Kaklamanos said. "If we lost this game, there would have been a lot of people who would have said our season was a fluke. So I think we came in a little bit too tight, a little bit tentative. Shots that we normally make, we weren't making, but we settled down and played them how we were supposed to play them." The team's shaky play in the beginning of the game didn't worry Sheldon, even though it came on the heels of a lopsided loss to Amherst. "I wasn't worried," Sheldon said. "They were making a lot of shots and I knew that we could pick up our defense and we'd wear them out eventually. We wanted to keep running." The Jumbos chipped away at the lead and went into the locker room at halftime leading 39-36. "Our goal going in here was to jam it inside, and when they started doubling us up, to kick it out," Sheldon said. "We thought that they would have to start calling fouls. So, even at halftime we said keep jamming it inside." Resuming play after the break, Colby cut the lead to two on a jumper by star center sophomore Drew Cohen. But after that, things turned around for the Jumbos. With six fans wearing shirts that spelled out "GO KUMF" watching from the balcony, sophomore forward Brian Kumf leaped up to grab a lob from sophomore Dave Shepherd at the baseline. Planting his feet and then muscling his way up for the layup, Kumf hit the shot, drew a foul on Cohen, and then sank the free throw. More importantly, Cohen picked up his fourth foul and had to exit the game. "They got into foul trouble," Kaklamanos said. "When [Cohen] got his fourth foul and they went in small, we knew there was no way they could guard us inside. Our post players, Jake, Reggie and Dan, are all too good. We just pushed the ball, ran smart and pounded it inside." Junior center Dan Martin had a career game, piling up 26 points and 15 rebounds. He efficiently shot 8-10 from the floor and knocked down 10-11 from the line. Martin made his own opportunities in the paint, grabbing seven offensive boards. "Dan Martin was a man out there today," Sheldon said. "The last three games, he has played probably the three best big men in the league, so his confidence was sky-high going against Cohen." Martin's performance made up for a rough shooting night by senior tri-captain Reggie Stovell, who shot 4-14 but came down with nine rebounds, including five offensive ones. "Dan Martin played a great game today," Stovell said. "He has the potential to be the best player in the NESCAC. He just came out and showed it today. We're a team full of weapons." Kumf was another one of those weapons on Saturday, pouring in 18 points and hitting all eight of his free throws. Kaklamanos was also good all-around, scoring 12 points, snatching three steals and blocking a shot. His performance made up for a rough game by backcourt teammate Shepherd, who handed out 11 assists but turned the ball over nine times and shot 1-7. The Jumbos spent plenty of time at the line throughout the game, as four Colby starters fouled out. The list included leading scorers Cohen and McGowan. The Jumbos capitalized, hitting 30 of 34 from the charity stripe in the second half and going 38 of 44 in the game. With the win, the Jumbos will move on to play the Bates Bobcats next Saturday in the NESCAC Tournament semifinals at Amherst. A win could launch the team to the NESCAC Tournament final, where the Jumbos would have a chance to advance to the NCAA Tournament. "[This win is] huge," Kaklamanos said. "I feel like [the win] validates the team. The two seed wasn't a fluke. [A record of] 16-9 was not a fluke. We beat teams. They're not always big wins, but they're wins."

Basketball

Women's Basketball | To be the best: Jumbos' season depends on potential upset over top-ranked Bates tomorrow

February 17

To be the best, you've got to play the best, and in the arena of Div. III women's basketball, it doesn't get any better than Bates College. The Bobcats are currently ranked No. 1 nationally, enjoying their second week atop the rankings and their sixth straight week in the country's top 10. Leading the NESCAC in almost all meaningful categories - points scored, points allowed, shooting percentage, steals, rebounds, and assists - Bates is highly favored both in the NESCAC and NCAA tournaments, and a loss in the first round of the conference tournament would certainly be an upset to remember. But that's just the upset coach Carla Berube and the Jumbos are set on as they travel to Lewiston, Maine on Saturday for their first-round NESCAC tournament game against the top-seeded Bobcats. After a weekend of intense action around the league, the final NESCAC rankings were released on Monday, and along with them, the matchups for this weekends' opening round of the postseason tournament. The Jumbos came in at the number seven spot, picking up two spots on a 3-0 week with wins over Trinity, Amherst, and non-league Salve Regina. The top two slots went predictably to Bowdoin and Bates, ranking No. 3 and No. 1 in the nation, respectively. The Tufts-Bates matchup is one of four opening-round games being played on Saturday. The two teams will meet for the second time in two weeks, as the Bobcats came away from Medford on Feb. 5 with a 76-66 win over the Jumbos. A slow start from the home team afforded the Bobcats large first-half leads that would prove too much to overcome, even though Tufts rallied to outscore Bates by a slim margin 35-32 in the second half. "Our slow start last time definitely hurt us along the way," sophomore guard Taryn Miller-Stevens said. "We want to be in it right from the start, not give an inch, and play our game." The Jumbos were shut out from the floor for nearly the first six minutes in the loss, and getting into an offensive pattern early on will be crucial on Saturday. But for Berube, who has centered her strategy on defense, the early tempo of the game will be set on the defensive end. "Offensive rhythm is definitely important, but we really need to come out in with defensive pressure and intensity," she said. "Defensive transition is really important and we can't give them quick, easy baskets." Coming out strong from the whistle has been part of Berube's game plan all year. Aggressive defense and full-court pressure have been staples on the court this season and will likely appear in Saturday's game as the Jumbos will look to get some early steals, shake up Bates' offensive rotation, and put the Bobcats on the defensive early on. But the Jumbos are under no illusions about what they are up against this weekend. Bates boasts the NCAA's 7th-ranked offense and three-time NESCAC Player-of-the-Week Olivia Zurek, whose athleticism is actually under-represented by her per-game average of 17 points and 16 rebounds. But while the Jumbos are something of a dark horse in the NESCAC tournament, it is a role they wholly embrace. "We're definitely the underdog," said senior co-captain Alison Love, whose trifecta of 20-plus performances last week earned her NESCAC Player-of-the-Week honors. "But I think we're in a good position. We have nothing to lose, and they have the pressure of being No.1 right now." Berube commented on the odds against the Jumbos. "Nobody expects us to win," she said. "Bates is a tough place to compete, but it really just comes down to playing basketball. We've never won a NESCAC tournament game, and that's been our goal since the start of the season." While the Jumbos are now just one slot up from the bottom, their presence in the tournament at all is a result of a strong finish in last weekend's league schedule. Heading into the weekend, Tufts was 1-6 against NESCAC teams and the promise which had characterized the beginning of the season had all but evaporated. But after huge conference wins over Trinity and Amherst, the Jumbos seem to be playing with the intensity, cohesion and purpose that had been missing during their unprecedented mid-season seven-game losing streak. The team's turnaround heading into the culmination of the 2004-2005 season is as striking as the nosedive that endangered their playoff chances to begin with. The Jumbos have now won six of their last seven, and this momentum and confidence boost could not have come at a better time. The NESCAC records of Bates and Tufts shed little light on what to expect tomorrow. The Bobcats came away with a narrow 70-69 victory over Trinity last weekend, which, when taken with Trinity's blowout loss to Tufts and the Jumbos' closer-than-it-looked loss to Bates two weeks ago, could have one of many implications for the NESCAC tournament. Maybe Trinity just got lucky, maybe Tufts is a better team than they showed against Bates, or maybe it's an encouraging sign for the Jumbos in their first round matchup. But what it most likely signifies is that the competition among NESCAC teams, from the top of the rankings to the bottom, is some of the best and most unpredictable in the nation. On any given night, it's anybody's game, and the Jumbos are determined to make tomorrow theirs. "We're all on the same page right now," Miller-Stevens said. "Coach told us that this is what you play for - the chance to pull off an upset - and I think it's within our reach."

Basketball

Men's Basketball | NESCAC Tournament in Jumbo crosshairs

February 17

Heading into the NESCAC Tournament as the No. 2 seed, the men's basketball team has one simple goal. "The goal is to win the NESCAC Tournament, hopefully against Amherst," freshman Jake Weitzen said. Kicking off the single-elimination NESCAC Tournament against Colby at 3 p.m. this Saturday at Cousens Gym, the team must win to stay alive. Luckily for the Jumbos, this do-or-die game will be played on their home floor. "Home-court advantage is an advantage because of the crowd," freshman Ryan O'Keefe said. "With the crowd on your side, when you get momentum on your side, it's hard to stop it. We play our best at home." This mental edge has not always produced wins for the Jumbos this season as they are 15-9 overall but just 5-4 on their home floor. While it started the season with three consecutive home losses, the team turned home record around by winning five in a row at Cousens before losing to Amherst this past weekend. One of those home victories came against Colby, which Tufts will host this weekend. On Jan. 14, the Jumbos defeated the Mules 76-69 to open what would eventually become a 7-2 NESCAC season. "They're solid," sophomore Dave Shepherd said. "They're a scrappy team. They've got a lot of guys who can shoot. They're not really a flashy team, but they're good at what they do." Indeed, at 14-7, Colby holds a better record than Tufts heading into the matchup. The Jumbos, however, played a tougher schedule than the Mules as Tufts went 8-2 against schools that both teams played, whereas the Mules only went 7-5 in those matchups. The most important game from earlier in the season, of course, was the one in which the Jumbos and the Mules met head-to-head. While the Jumbos won the game, it certainly was a battle as they were forced to fight back from a 59-48 deficit with 13:20 left in the ballgame. From that point on, however, the Jumbos held the Mules to 10 points the rest of the way and ended up winning the game by seven. The players will have this game in their minds as they face the Mules once again. "We've got to play defense," Shepherd said. "We played really well in the last 10 minutes [of the first game with Colby]. We outscored them by almost 20 [in that span]. Part of that is that we kind of figured them out." The Jumbos also recognize that they must play more consistently this time around. "You have to be tough for 40 minutes," O'Keefe said. "You can't have lapses, where you don't play as hard. If we come out for 40 minutes and play hard, we will be alright." Colby brings a two-pronged attack to Cousens Gym, led by sophomore center Drew Cohen and senior shooting guard Patrick McGowan. The two combine to average 31.9 points per game, but only combined to score 24 points in the previous meeting with Tufts. "We know what they're going to do and who their guys are, first hand," Shepherd said. "We have to defend our first victory. We have to prove that it wasn't a fluke and that we're the better team." While the Jumbos have won four out of their past five games, they will have to rebound from the shock of their 94-61 romp at the hands of nationally-ranked Amherst this past weekend. The lopsided defeat allowed Amherst to win the regular season title and earn home court advantage throughout the NESCAC Tournament. The Jumbos would love to even the score by handing the Lord Jeffs a loss in the tournament, but the team is careful not to look to far ahead. "We're definitely looking at this as a three-game season," Shepherd said. "We have to get the first one to get the second one, and the second one to get to the third. We've got to take it one game at a time. We want to get some momentum going, but at the same time, if we don't win the first one, we're done." Despite entering the game off a loss, the players feel that they have regained their composure. "Everybody's pretty confident," Weitzen said. "We know we had an off night [against Amherst], but the last two practices have been good and we know we'll be ready on Saturday."

Basketball

Women's Basketball | Jumbos stomp out Lord Jeffs to secure seventh seed spot

February 13

With its back against the wall and the season on the line, the women's basketball team again responded with a big win a night after trouncing Trinity. Tufts jumped out to a big lead early and never trailed in beating Amherst 76-67 on Saturday. With the win, the Jumbos guaranteed themselves a spot in the NESCAC tournament next weekend. Junior guard Julia Verplank, starting for the first time since returning from a knee injury, scored seven points as Tufts started out the game on a 15-2 run. The Jumbos led by nine at halftime, and maintained a comfortable advantage throughout the second half. Amherst came into the game holding opponents to just 55 points and 34 percent shooting from the field, but Tufts was able to surpass those numbers by a wide margin, shooting 47 percent for the game, including 53 percent in the first half. "We really concentrated on our defense, and that led to lots of fast break points," senior co-captain Erin Connolly said. "Also, in practice last week, we made a real effort to run through all of our plays. We really executed well, and got some great looks at the basket." Fellow senior co-captain Allison Love led Tufts with 22 points on 10 of 16 shooting from the floor. It was Love's third straight game with at least 20 points, and she was consistent for the Jumbos, scoring 11 points in each half. "We were really focused on executing our offense," Connolly said. "Alli [Love] got some great looks at the basket and she finished those shots." Love and junior Laura Jasinski dominated inside for Tufts. Jasinski finished with a game-high 10 rebounds, and added 18 points. The Jumbos displayed a balanced scoring attack, with all five starters finishing in double figures. Verplank scored all 10 of her points in the first half, while sophomore Taryn Miller-Stevens hit nine of 10 free throws in the second half to secure the victory. Junior Jessica Powers finished with 11 points and four assists. Tufts won despite a slow night from their leading scorer, sophomore Valerie Krah. Krah finished 0-3 from the field, going scoreless in just 14 minutes. Amherst was led by Krissy Morin's 17 points off the bench. Katie Latham and Shaina Pollack added 12 points each. With their two wins over the weekend, the Jumbos secured the seventh seed in the NESCAC tournament. Next Saturday they will take on the number one team in the country, the Bates Bobcats. The game is a rematch of the teams' Feb. 5 meeting, which Tufts lost in a close 76-66 game. According to Connolly, the hope of keeping their season alive provided added incentive for the Jumbos. "[Getting into] the playoffs is a huge motivator," Connolly said. "We knew if we won both games we were in, so it was essential for us to come out strong. We played well and we really deserved to get in." Getting into the playoffs was especially important for Connolly and Love, who want to keep their careers going as long as possible. "Alli [Love] and I didn't want the season to end," Connolly said. "The playoffs are what it's all about. It's what we've been focused on since we started playing pick-up games in September." Despite finishing the regular season with a 3-6 record in the NESCAC, the Jumbos feel that they are a good enough team to win the conference tournament. "We're playing our best basketball of the entire season when we need to," Connolly said. "I'm excited to continue playing the basketball we've been playing [this past weekend] against Bates."

Basketball

Men's Basketball | Amherst ends Tufts' hopes for home court

February 13

After defeating No. 22 Trinity on Friday night to solidify its grip on the second seed in the NESCAC Tournament, the men's basketball team was dreaming big. Saturday's season finale with Amherst would determine the top seed as well as home court advantage for the NESCAC Tournament. 40 minutes of basketball later, Tufts' dreams had been crushed as the Amherst Lord Jeffs dominated the game, winning 94-61, asserting their dominance in the conference and solidifying home court advantage throughout the NESCAC Tournament. "They're a really good team, number four in the nation," coach Bob Sheldon said. "They came in here ready to play and they just got off to a better start and stepped on us. They made all their shots shooting 65 percent in the first. They got us down and we were never able to fight back." The crowd, still buzzing from the performance the night before, was near capacity. It witnessed a total domination by the Jeffs, who took an early 8-6 lead and proceeded to run away from the Jumbos. According to Sheldon, the lackluster start may be attributable to the emotional game the night before. "Part of it was [emotion]," Sheldon said. "We had a little trouble with that earlier when we beat Wesleyan and then we had a little let down with Connecticut College. We tried to fight against it but I just felt it was there a little bit." The Jeffs took advantage and led by as many as 23 in the first half as they shot 65.4 percent from the floor, including 7-13 from beyond the arc. Amherst was equally dominant in the second half, outscoring Tufts 46-27. "They didn't miss a shot," senior tri-captain Jesse Belodoff said. "They run their offense very well. They get good shots and they knock them down. They were the better team today." The Jeffs, who entered the game as the No. 1 defensive team in the conference, were equally impressive on the defensive end as they prevented Tufts from getting the ball inside to senior tri-captain Reggie Stovell in the first half. Stovell only scored four points in the first half, all coming in the last three and a half minutes. Without Stovell's steady scoring hand, the Jumbos were forced to focus on their outside shooting. Unfortunately their luck was no better from the outside. "We've got outside scorers," Sheldon said. "Ryan [O'Keefe] can shoot outside. Drew [Kaklamanos] can. It's just that we changed things a little bit. They did a good job stopping [Stovell]. It changed us, but it's not something we haven't seen before. We didn't make shots." The Jumbos shot just 29.6 percent from the floor including 3-19 from three-point land. Amherst certainly deserves some credit for the Jumbos' shooting woes. "They played good defense all around," junior Dan Martin said. "They played great help defense. They're a really solid defensive team. Our shots weren't falling from inside or outside." Despite shooting woes and the Jeffs' tough defense, the Jumbos were able to claw back into the game before the half, going on a 13-4 run before the half to cut the lead to 48-34. Freshman Jake Weitzen capped off the run with a driving layup and a foul to complete a three-point play. Weitzen was Tufts' one consistent spark, scoring all 10 of his points in the first half on 4-4 shooting. All of the Tufts' momentum came to a halt with the buzzer at halftime. Amherst jumped out of the gates going on a 31-8 run to claim a 37-point lead. Tufts failed to get back into the game as the Jeffs (8-0 NESCAC) completed their perfect NESCAC season. With the victory, Amherst clinched home court advantage throughout the NESCAC Tournament that will start next Saturday. The Jumbos, who fell to 15-9, are left trying to regain their momentum for their first round match against Colby. "We've been saying a lot in games, 'just worry about the next possession,'" Belodoff said. "We just have got to worry about Monday. And on Monday, we've got to worry about practice Tuesday. All you can do is prepare for what's right in front of you." According to Sheldon, bouncing back from this game can only make his team stronger. "We're playing at home," Sheldon said. "We've talked about one of the things we say with the team is it's not how many times you get knocked down, it's how many times you get up. We got knocked down today. We're just going to get up and go play Saturday at home. The best thing that could happen is we play [Amherst] in the finals."

Basketball

Men's Basketball | Stovell leads in key Trinity upset

February 13

The near capacity crowd that showed up Friday night to watch the men's basketball team play Trinity, the No. 22 team in the country, went home happy as the Jumbos upset the Bantams, winning by 12 with a score of 93 to 81 to secure the second seed in the NESCAC Tournament. The energized crowd and the anticipation surrounding the game did not faze the team, which focused on the game. "We wanted to come into this game on a pretty even keel," senior tri-captain Reggie Stovell said. "We knew that we couldn't get overconfident and just [had to] play our best." And undoubtedly, they did. Stovell led the Jumbos with 21 points and 20 rebounds. He was a perfect 12-12 from the charity stripe. After watching a free throw roll around the rim endlessly before going in, Stovell pointed to the roof. Early on, Trinity appeared to have the momentum. There were some key turnovers, and the Trinity bench got into the game. Then, the tables turned and it became a back and forth shootout. There were many fouls called early, forcing coach Bob Sheldon to bench sophomore Brian Kumf. He only played eight minutes of the first half. One factor that the Jumbos had riding with them for the first time in a long time was the crowd. The crowd added to the atmosphere and the electricity in the gym, helping to quell any momentum gained by the visiting Bantams. The crowd didn't really become involved in the game until ten minutes into the first half. With 9:19 left, Tufts utilized its height advantage to the utmost. In what was a repeat of Tuesday's game against Newbury, junior Dan Martin took a perfect inbounds pass from sophomore Dave Shepherd and slammed it viciously through the hoop. The Tufts crowd jumped to its feet in excitement. The Jumbos were effective all night on inbounds passes. Shepherd's inbound passes were perfect, and often the recipient would not even have to dribble to get the ball in the basket. Shepherd finished the night with seven assists to lead all players. One problem the Jumbos would have to contend with was Trinity junior Tyler Rhoten. Averaging 21 points per game, he is the leading scorer in the NESCAC and reigning NESCAC Player of the Week. The tall forward had to work around the trio of inside threats who shared the role of guarding him, including three-time NESCAC Player of the Week Stovell. "We tried to play him real physically," said Stovell. "Me, [Martin], and [Kumf] all played him tough inside. We knew he was going to take 20-25 shots a game, so we figured that he was going to have to earn every single basket. He would take no easy shots." Rhoten shot 4-10 from the field in the first half and finished the game leading all scorers with 25 points, retaining his NESCAC scoring title for another night. He also had 10 rebounds for the double-double. With Tufts focusing on Rhoten, the Bantams turned to the outside for their points. The Jumbos were content to let them shoot from behind the arc, and that stratagem worked. Trinity was 5-17 in the first half from three-point range, but finished the game 8-33. The inability to go inside disrupted its rhythm and ultimately sealed the win for Tufts. Freshman Jake Weitzen also stood out with clutch shooting and hustle. He had 14 points in the first half and finished the game with 20 and 10 rebounds, nine of which came in the second half. Despite his efforts, the score was pretty close for much of the first half, with neither team accumulating a lead larger than five points. Tufts managed to take the lead 44-41 on a layup by Martin with less than a minute remaining. After some frenetic shooting by Trinity, Tufts came down with the ball. But quickly, the Bantams forced a jump ball, and with the possession arrow in their favor, took control. With three seconds to play, John Halas took a pass on a well executed play and buried the game-tying three-pointer as time expired. Coach Bob Sheldon said the team was confident at halftime because it knew it could play with the highly ranked Bantams. "I told them that in the first half they proved they were as good as this team that was ranked twenty-something," Sheldon said. "I told them that they could win and win big." With that confidence, the Jumbos came out of the gate streaking, and never looked back. The offense became a defined two-pronged attack: quick drives to the basket and getting the ball inside. Trinity tried to press after Tufts lengthened its lead, but was unsuccessful. The Jumbos sharp, precise passing and speed set the tempo. "We made them play our game in the second half," Sheldon said, "and that's what turned the game to our favor. We could just breeze past them in transition and go for the easy layup. It's much easier to score that way."

Basketball

Women's Basketball | The stakes are high for last weekend of season play

February 10

It's last call for the women's basketball team. While sports journalism is often guilty of overkill when it comes to dramatic clich?©s - make-or-break, do-or-die, now-or-never - any one of them accurately describes the stakes the women's team faces as it heads into its final weekend of the 2004-2005 regular season. With conference rivals Trinity and Amherst in the crosshairs, the Jumbos gear up for their last chance to garner a bid in the NESCAC tournament and turn around a troubled second-semester season. The chance for senior co-captains Erin Connolly and Alison Love to extend their final season on the Hill with a playoff run rests entirely on the team's performance this weekend, as the Jumbos take to the road against conference rivals Trinity and Amherst in a last-chance push to the season's finish. And, as is always the case with NESCAC matchups, it's anybody's game. Wins for the Jumbos this weekend will rely on their ability to force turnovers on defense, find the open man and take care of the ball on offense, and take advantage of the momentum that has worked both for and against them this season. While the top three spots in the NESCAC rankings seem relatively certain to be some combination of Bowdoin, Bates, and Williams, the middle of the field is wide open as this weekend will see a flurry of action around the conference. Sophomore Valerie Krah spoke of the level of competition in NESCAC, which is considered by many to be one of the top Div. III athletic conferences. "The caliber of NESCAC teams is second to none," she said. "Every weekend, we get a chance to battle it out and play hard against great teams and great athletes, and that's really exciting." Trinity's 2-5 league record puts the Bantams just one spot above Tufts in league rankings at the No. 7 spot, while Amherst sits at No. 5 with a 4-3 record in conference play. A key factor in the final NESCAC standings may be none of these three teams, but another league team, No. 2 Bates. After defeating Tufts at home on Saturday, the Bobcats can make it up to the Jumbos as they have the chance to hand both Trinity and Amherst a loss this weekend. The final weekend of league play has too many variable matchups to call. But if the Jumbos play the kind of basketball they have shown glimpses of this season, and if the cards fall just right, Tufts could realistically gain two spots in the league rankings, and a sixth-place finish is more than enough to earn the team a trip to the league playoffs. But the potential reshuffling in the rankings is meaningless without a win in Friday's game against Trinity. The Bantams have struggled against NESCAC teams this season, managing its two wins over bottom-ranked Connecticut College and Colby, and suffering blowout losses to the league's best. A promising sign for both of the Jumbos games this weekend was Tufts' tight 63-60 loss against Williams on Jan. 21 and competitive showing against Bowdoin. Both Trinity and Amherst lost to both these teams by wide margins. By the numbers, both matchups look to be close and physical. No team has a considerable height advantage, and all three put up similar numbers in points scored, points allowed, and rebounding. Tufts holds a slight edge in assists, and if the Jumbos are able to consistently find the open player, as well as hit the open shots, this could make the difference. Neither Amherst nor Trinity are offensive powerhouses, each averaging less than 65 points per game. If the Jumbos can apply their trademark pressure defense, and give Krah and junior Jessica Powers some chances to jump out into passing lanes, Tufts will be able to disrupt offensive executions and limit scoring opportunities. "The game is definitely going to be won on the defensive end," Krah said. "Defense is one of our strengths and we need to come out strong on Friday." Connolly highlighted the game plan for the Jumbos, both in mental and tactical preparation. "Coach always tells us to worry about ourselves and not the other team," she said. "The team is extremely focused, we know we're capable of playing well, and this weekend is the perfect chance for us to show that."

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Men's Basketball | Jumbo win could clinch home court

February 10

Returning home after an eight game road trip, the Jumbos were happy to find themselves in the friendly confines of Cousens Gym on Tuesday, defeating Newbury by 36 points. If Tufts can duplicate those results this weekend against the Trinity Bantams and Amherst Lord Jeffs, the men's basketball team won't have to play a game away from its home floor for a long time. The Jumbos, who enter this weekend's play at 6-1 on the conference, have a chance to earn home court advantage throughout the NESCAC Tournament if they can defeat conference powers Trinity and Amherst this weekend. "[Home court advantage throughout the NESCAC Tournament] is huge," coach Bob Sheldon said. "We've already guaranteed the first round. If we win Friday or Saturday, we'll guarantee the second. Coming into Cousens, it's just a great place to play and it'll be packed. We just shoot better and we play a little better at home." The Jumbos face two big obstacles, though, on their quest for first place in the NESCAC. Amherst, 7-0 in the conference, is No. 4 in the country and Trinity, tied with Tufts for second in the conference at 6-1, is No. 25. The Jumbos are excited by the challenge. "We just have got to keep building on the past two wins," sophomore Brian Kumf said. "It's a big weekend. There's going to be a lot of emotion. Everybody's going to play all-out. We're going to score the basketball. We just have to concentrate on defense." That will be a challenge for a Tufts defense that is ranked last in the conference in points allowed per game, while Trinity and Amherst present the second and third best offenses in the conference behind Tufts' conference leading attack. Trinity, which will come to Medford to play at 7 p.m. on Friday, has the No. 1 scorer in the conference in junior Tyler Rhoten. Rhoten, the defending Conference Player of the Week, is averaging 21.8 points per game and is fifth in the conference with 7.9 rebounds a game. Tufts players feel that stopping him will be a key to winning the game. Amherst, on the other hand, has a more balanced offensive attack. "They're just a really great team," Kumf said of the Lord Jeffs. "They've got really great players. They've got a great system. They all hit shots. They all play really good team defense. They're just a really good team." Amherst's effort on the defensive end is apparent as it is allowing a conference low 62.5 points per game. The Jumbo offense is leading the conference scoring 82.8 points a game. The team waited to start preparing for this weekend's games until it had defeated Newbury. "If you think about it too much, you're going to psyche yourself out, so the coaches are going to just have to work hard and scout them," Kumf said. "We played them last year. It's the same two teams. We know what we've got to do. It's the NESCAC so you're pretty familiar with every team." The Jumbos head into the game with momentum, having won three games in a row, including a conference win over Bates. "I think we have good momentum," Sheldon said. "We're loose right now. I think we've showed them that we've got nothing to lose this weekend. We're 6-1. We've earned the right to be in these games this weekend. We're loose and we're going to go in and just play our stuff. We've won three in a row. We hit a little slump but we got it back and we're playing well." The Jumbos have been playing well on the road lately, as they went 5-3 on their eight game road trip. Yet, Sheldon feels the team will be helped immensely by its home court advantage this weekend. "They've got to travel, spend Friday night playing a game, stay in a strange bed, get up and come up here whereas we're going to play Friday here in front of our friends, go home and sleep in our own beds, get up a little later, and come here and play a game at home again," Sheldon said. "Part of it is, in our conference, since we don't travel that much, we're not Division I on the road all the time, the travel wears you out a little bit." If the Jumbos can take care of Trinity and Amherst this weekend, there could be many other NESCAC teams visiting Tufts in the near future.

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Men's Basketball | Newbury win gives Jumbos a boost

February 9

With the largest margin of victory in the past three seasons, the men's basketball team defeated Newbury College 97-61 on Tuesday in Cousens Gym. The Nighthawks didn't know what hit them as the Jumbos jumped to an early lead and ran away with the game. When the Nighthawks did not break the 10-point barrier until nearly 12 minutes into the first half on 8-31 shooting, they seemed on track to have more turnovers than field goals. Coach Bob Sheldon anticipated the Nighthawks' difficulty scoring against the Jumbos. Confident of a win, he rotated his starters early. "This was a golden opportunity to get some of the guys in that don't play as much," he said. Often Sheldon would substitute three or four players at once, a rotation more reminiscent of ice hockey than college basketball. This exchange kept fresh players on the court and allowed the Jumbos to maintain a high-paced tempo on the floor, one that the Nighthawks, it turned out, simply could not match. Newbury is 2-17 this season, but given the Jumbos' recent upset losses to Keene State and Connecticut College, Sheldon wasn't taking any chances. "He didn't tell us [Newbury's] record or anything like that," sophomore forward Brian Kumf said. "We prepared just like they were any other team." But even before the starting buzzer, Sheldon was envisioning a chance for his team to stretch their legs against some fresh competition. "We really wanted to just blow them out," he said. "Sometimes the starters get tired of practicing against the game guys every day and we need some new people." Tuesday's game was the Jumbos' first back in Cousens since mid-January when the team embarked on an eight-game road trip that began when the rest of the student body was still sleeping and tanning. In reality, the game served as a warm-up for this weekend, when the Jumbos will wrap up the 2004-2005 season with home games against NESCAC rivals No. 22 Trinity and No. 4 Amherst. "It was really good to be home. We got some practice playing again in this gym with the game-like noise," Sheldon said. "Never again will they have to go through that." The Nighthawks gave the Jumbos only one scare when, with 6:25 to play in the first half, they roared back and cut the deficit to nine. But Newbury did not know what to make of Tufts freshman Ryan O'Keefe. For most of the first half, the guard remained somewhat quiet, but exploded as Newbury closed in. Each of O'Keefe's three shots from behind the arc swished through, adding nine of the Jumbos' 13-point push to end the half with a more-than-comfortable 23 point margin. O'Keefe finished with a team-high 15 points on 6-11 shooting. In the second half, Sheldon decided to leave no doubt about the Jumbos' prowess. "I noticed that we had been dominating inside and we had a huge height advantage," he said, "So I told them to go up for the alley-oop." The first few times, the acrobatics failed, but eventually the perfect pass came to junior Dan Martin and he slammed it home. Martin complemented his 15 points with 10 rebounds for the double-double. By the time the 15-minute mark rolled around, the Jumbos were comfortably ahead. The lead dipped below 20 fleetingly, but after an 18-3 Tufts run, the win was never in jeopardy. "There is no doubt that we had a real fun time," Kumf said "It was a definite confidence boost." As the Jumbos' lead grew, Sheldon mixed up the rotation, trying different combinations on the floor and giving the bench ample playing time. Freshman Casey D'Annolfo scored his first points of the season with seven, as did junior Jimmy Edgerton, who converted both of his shots from three-point land. Although the blowout nature of the game precluded any last-second theatrics, senior tri-captain Reggie Stovell put forth the kind of performance the Tufts community has come to expect, going 4-9 from the field and finishing the game with eight points, well below his season average of 18. Sheldon strategically played Stovell for only 15 minutes to keep him fresh for the upcoming games this weekend. With their third consecutive win, the Jumbos moved to 14-8 overall and will head into a weekend of nationally ranked league competition at 6-1 in NESCAC.

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Women's Basketball | Last home game results in victory

February 9

Senior co-captain Allison Love made her last collegiate home game a special one Tuesday night, scoring 20 points to lead the Jumbos to a 65-60 win over Salve Regina. Tufts took a slim lead into halftime, 35-33, and the teams went back and forth in the second half. The last five minutes produced some of the most exciting basketball the Jumbos have seen this year. Sophomore Valerie Krah hit a clutch three pointer with 4:52 left that gave Tufts a four-point lead, but Salve answered with a three from junior Meaghan Stapleton. After two free throws from sophomore Taryn Miller-Stevens, Stapleton hit another trifecta to tie the score at 56. That's when Love took over, hitting a three pointer and two free throws. The Jumbos made their foul shots down the stretch to come away with the win. "[Love] is always important to our team," coach Carla Berube said. "With Salve playing a zone for the whole game, it was important for her to make big shots. She made them down the stretch, and got some big rebounds to help us to that win." Love's effort was her last on the Jumbos' home court. "I wasn't really thinking about it," Love said. "In retrospect, it's sort of bittersweet. It's nice to end on a good note, but it's sad that I won't be playing in Cousens again." Against Salve, the whole team played well down the stretch for Tufts. In addition to Love, junior Jessica Powers also had four big points in the last two minutes of the game. "I think [playing well in the clutch] comes from experience," Berube said. "It comes from being in those situations, and not pulling it out. We learned from that, and now they have confidence that they're going to get it done. Players stepped up when we needed them to. Alli and Jess hit big shots, Alli and [junior] Laura Jasinski got some key rebounds, and Taryn hit a couple of huge free throws. I think it does come down to having the confidence to pull the game out." Tufts also played great defense, holding Salve Regina to just 37 percent shooting from the floor. The Tufts defense was especially stingy in the last 30 seconds of the game, foiling two Stapleton three-point attempts and grabbing the rebounds to seal the win. That was the difference in the outcome, as the Jumbos shot only 36 percent themselves on the game. Salve Regina was also forced into 21 turnovers, a testament to Tufts' pressure defense. "We pressured them a little when we wanted to," Berube said. "We threw a little zone at them, and played our typical aggressive man-to-man. They probably scored more than we would have liked them to, but we did a good job at the end to come out with the win in a tight game. The people who needed to step up did." Junior Julia Verplank, who has missed significant time this year with a knee injury, saw only limited action. According to Berube, the injury was bothering Verplank. "This weekend is huge for us. We're going to see if our season's going to continue, so we wanted to save her for that," Berube said. "She really didn't need to play [against Salve Regina]." Verplank was productive in the short time she saw, contributing five points and two steals in just 10 minutes. She has looked good since missing nine straight games, and contributed 12 points and seven rebounds in Tufts' loss to NESCAC-leading Bates last Saturday. Without her, the team relied on Miller-Stevens and sophomore Marilyn Duffy-Cabana at the point guard position. The experience they picked up during Verplank's absence has made the Jumbos a better team. "Taryn's been playing really well," Berube said. "She's been playing with more confidence, and the team really rallied around her. Marilyn has also played very well for us. It's good for the team that other people have had to step up. I think it's made us deeper." Powers and Krah joined Love as the Jumbos' double-digit scorers. Powers had 14 points to go along with seven rebounds, while Krah added 11 points, three assists, and three steals. Love had nine rebounds, four assists, and two steals to go along with her 20 points. Salve was led by junior Lindsay Frederick, freshman sophomore Allison Moen, and Megan Barry, who each scored 12 points. The Seahawks fell to 12-7. "I think everyone stepped up for us," Love said. "We realized it was our last home game and didn't want to end the [home] season on a loss. This weekend will be big for us so we wanted to head into it with a win. It was definitely on the back of everyone's minds." This weekend, the team takes on Trinity and Amherst on the road in its last two games of the season. Tufts currently sits at 1-6 in the NESCAC, on the bubble for a playoff spot, and must defeat Trinity (2-5 in conference play) in order to gain a berth. The Jumbos move to 12-9 on the season with the win, but the season will now hinge on the Trinity game this Friday night.

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Men's Basketball | Team claws back from 14 pt. deficit

February 6

Playing in a game that had almost crucial implications to the Jumbos' NESCAC chances in a hostile gym on the road, Tufts needed a good start to quiet the crowd. Yet, when the Jumbos looked up at the scoreboard with 11:23 left in the first half, after Bates senior Victor Rivera sank his first free throw, they were confronted with an ugly sight: a 26-12 deficit. Just like that, the long drive up to Lewiston, Maine, seemed like a waste of time as the Jumbos were in danger of falling behind the crowded pack at the top of the NESCAC standings. Yet, the team did not panic. "We were a little rusty to start, but our guys know what we can do," senior tri-captain Reggie Stovell said. "We're a good team. Good teams play hard throughout. That's why being down 14 didn't hurt us. We knew there was plenty of basketball to play." The team's patience was rewarded as things turned around in a hurry. After Rivera missed his second free throw, the Jumbos set their offense and senior Andrew Kaklamanos found sophomore Brian Kumf for a layup. The inside basket got the Jumbos rolling, as they hit five shots in a row, including a three-pointer by freshman Jake Weitzen. With 8:26 remaining in the half, the lead was 29-23. At that point, the Jumbos lost their hot touch, going four plus minutes without a field goal and missing five shots in a row. That's when the defense took over, however. Over that stretch, the Jumbos forced three turnovers and only allowed the Bobcats to shoot 1-4 from the floor. The Jumbos also made six of seven free throws to help them wrestle the lead away from the Bobcats. When junior Dan Martin hit a jumper, Tufts was down only three at 31-28 and it would eventually cap off its 25-9 run with a jumper by junior Brian Fitzgerald to give the team a two-point lead with 1:10 left in the half. The run was a sign of things to come, as the Jumbos would outscore the Bobcats 41-32 in the second half. Stovell was right. There was plenty of basketball left and when time had run out, the Jumbos had a better sight to look at on the scoreboard.-by Nate Grubman

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Men's Basketball | Men clinch home court for first round of NESCACs

February 6

After an eight game road trip that started back on Jan. 18, the Jumbos are coming back to Cousens gym smiling. After defeating the Bates Bobcats 78-73 at Alumni Gymnasium in Lewiston, Maine, the Jumbos improved their record to 5-3 on the road trip, 13-8 on the season and 6-1 in the conference. The win guarantees the Jumbos a winning regular season record and home court advantage for the first round of the NESCAC Tournament. "We survived [the road trip]," sophomore Dave Shepherd said. "There were a couple of bumps along the way against Connecticut College and Keene State. They played well, but we made it through." The Jumbos overcame a 14-point first half deficit to overcome the Bobcats in both the game and the conference standings. The win broke a three-way tie for second place in the conference between Tufts, Trinity and Bates. The Jumbos now share second with only Trinity. After Tufts erased its large first half deficit to close the gap to four at the half, the second half started with both teams close, as neither team could take a lead greater than six points in the first seven minutes. With 13:16 remaining and the Jumbos trailing by one, Shepherd buried a three that triggered a 16-1 run. The Bobcats were not done, however, closing the lead to three with three minutes remaining. The Jumbos kept the game out of reach though, as the team played stiff defense and freshman Jake Weitzen and senior Andrew Kaklamanos hit key free throws in the closing seconds. "We came in both 5-1 in the conference," senior tri-captain Reggie Stovell said. "Now, we have a clear edge. It's good to beat a good team in its gym." Playing on the road was nothing new for the Jumbos, and the players had little trouble adjusting. "In all honesty, I don't think it affected one guy," Stovell said. "We were so focused on the game. We were not worried about the home court advantage. Sure, it was hot in there and crowded and the fans were getting a little rowdy, but we were focused." Stovell entered the game just 12 points shy of 1,000 for his career. He didn't waste anytime getting there, hitting a layup with 8:06 left in the game to give him the milestone. While Stovell was proud of his achievement, he has a higher goal in sight. "I want to win the NESCAC," Stovell said. "1000 points, that's great and I'm really happy for myself, but right now, we have a team that can go all the way." Stovell finished the game with 23 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Jumbos. He was aided by freshman Ryan O'Keefe who dropped in 20 points. O'Keefe has averaged 16.8 points per game in five starts in place of an ill sophomore Brian Kumf. But Kumf did return to action on Saturday after missing the four previous games, playing 21 minutes off the bench and contributing five points. The Jumbos have three regular season games left, two of them against the top teams in the NESCAC. But Tufts is not shy about its goal in those three games. "We want to sweep," Shepherd said. "We believe we can get a win on Tuesday against Newbury at home. If we sweep, we host the whole NESCAC Tournament. That's what we've been talking about in the locker room recently, but now, that's our goal." Two tough teams stand in Tufts' way. Next weekend, they will play Trinity and Amherst, who are Nos. 25 and 4 in the nation respectively. "In order for us to sweep, it's going to take a lot of heart and confidence," Stovell said. "Trinity and Amherst are nationally ranked teams. They're both tough teams, but I know that we can beat them. In order to do that, we have to continue to focus." Coming off the victory over the Bobcats, the Jumbos will head into Tuesday's game with some momentum. After losing two in a row to Connecticut College and Keene State, the Jumbos righted themselves by beating UMass Dartmouth on Thursday by a score of 78-66. Shepherd handed out 10 assists and O'Keefe dropped in 23 points as the Jumbos claimed a big first half lead. A second half three pointer by Kaklamanos, one of his three, gave the Jumbos a 55-31 lead at one point. UMass Dartmouth responded with 14 unanswered to make it a game. "UMass Dartmouth was very physical," Shepherd said. "In the second half, we spread the lead out, but they crawled back into it." UMass would get no closer than seven, however, as the Jumbos coasted to victory. The win gave Tufts the steam it needed heading into the Bates showdown. "It was huge," Shepherd said. "The coaches didn't think we could win at Bates coming off of a loss and I agreed. Bates is one of the toughest places to play in the conference."

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Women's Basketball | Split weekend gains the Jumbos no ground in postseason push

February 6

When the final buzzer sounds and the gym empties, the W or L is all that gets entered into the record book. But there are times when the final score doesn't do justice to the on-court reality of a matchup. The intricacies and subtleties of the sport are generally overlooked on the statistics sheet, and the give-and-take of the game overshadowed by the outcome. The women's basketball team had two of those games this weekend, and the split in the record book is equally as stark as the differences in the level of basketball that the Jumbos brought to the court. On Saturday, the Jumbos overcame huge first-half deficits to take nationally ranked Bates to a close finish in a key NESCAC game. Despite eventually falling 76-66, Tufts' second-half challenge was enough to keep the Bobcats nervous down the stretch and showcase the disciplined, competitive basketball of which Tufts is capable. That level of play was decidedly absent on Friday night, when the team rattled off a 69-47 victory over non-conference MIT. The Jumbos succumbed to MIT's undisciplined and scattered level of playing, allowing the Engineers to make a second-half bid and relying on huge first-half margins to cruise to the buzzer. In Saturday's matchup, Bates played every bit as well as its No. 4 ranking right from the whistle, jumping out to early leads of 7-0, 17-1, and 22-5 before the Jumbos could regain their balance. The Bobcats held the Jumbos scoreless from the floor until nearly six minutes into the game, forcing Tufts into a one-dimensional outside shooting game by removing open looks to post players. The Jumbos were thrown by the Bates defense, missing their first eight shots and turning the ball over three times in the first five minutes. On the other end of the floor, the Bobcats essentially scored at will during the opening minutes. "We definitely didn't come out with the intensity that we had in the second half and that ended up hurting us," sophomore guard Taryn Miller-Stevens said. "If we had played the full 40 minutes the way we did [in the second half], I think we would have given them a really good game." After falling behind by 17 with just over 12 minutes remaining in the first half, the Jumbos managed to find an offensive rhythm, closing the gap to six on a three-pointer from junior Julia Verplank. Verplank put up a dozen points, five assists, and seven rebounds for the Jumbos in only her second game back from a knee injury that kept her on the bench for most of January. But the Bobcats finished the half strong and the margin stood at 13 at the intermission. A 10-2 Bates run to open the second half was met with an 18-3 spurt from Tufts, capped by a steal from sophomore Katherine Miller and a jumper from classmate Valerie Krah, whose 14 points and three steals were second-best for the Jumbos. But a three-point play from Bates senior Betsy Hochadel deflated the Jumbos' momentum, and Tufts would never get any closer. Bobcat senior Olivia Zurek, a two-time NESCAC Player of the Week, scored the last seven points of the game for Bates, en route to a double-double. While the Jumbos were finally able to run their offense effectively, they were unable to find a defensive pattern to stop high-scoring Bates, which averages 80.4 points per game and seemed to have an answer for every one of Tufts coach Carla Berube's changes. The Bobcats drove the lane on the Jumbos' man-to-man defense and passed around the 2-3 zone with precision and speed. "Bates has some phenomenal athletes," Berube said. "They're definitely a well-oiled machine and you can tell that they've been playing together for years." At times, it seemed the Jumbos were looking at a maroon-and-white version of themselves, but a little bit better. The strengths that contributed to Bates' seamless play - offensive rebounding and second-chance points, running the break, and pressure defense - have all been integral components of Berube's game plan for Tufts this season. But the Jumbos found themselves on the shorter end of the category statistics as they ended their three-game win streak. "The tone was really set in the first five minutes with our defensive effort," Bates coach Jim Murphy said. "I give [Tufts] a lot of credit for battling back from that and we definitely got lucky a few times during their run." Murphy, who racked up his 200th win on Tuesday with the Bobcat's defeat of top-ranked Bowdoin, also highlighted the competitiveness and toss-up nature of NESCAC matchups. "No question, this is the best Div. III league athletically," he said. "It's pure competition, healthy competition, and that's very refreshing. Any team can give any other team a really good game." While the Jumbos added another tally to their win column with their win against MIT, the team failed to showcase its strengths. With only two players in double-digit scoring, the Jumbos were actually outscored in the second half 32-27 by a team that never should have been close, and coasted to victory on their massive 42-15 halftime lead. Tufts, despite a considerable height advantage, was out-rebounded by the Engineers. At the weekend's close, the Jumbos moved to 11-9 overall, and 1-6 in league play, uncomfortable territory as the NESCAC tournament approaches. The team is home again on Tuesday against non-conference Salve Regina for their last home game.

Basketball

Women's Basketball | Tufts holds strong against Keene State

February 2

After suffering a seven-game losing streak that considerably deflated the sails of the women's basketball team, Tufts is back on track with two consecutive wins. Battling out a nail-biter against non-conference Keene State on Tuesday to pick up their second straight victory, 59-57, the Jumbos moved to 10-8 and seem to have regained their direction. The Jumbos entered the game fired up from their recent victory over Connecticut College and eager to make it two in a row. "We knew going into [the Keene State game] that we had to get a win," sophomore Taryn Miller-Stevens said. "We were coming off of the Conn. College win and were pumped to keep our momentum going." Tufts maintained a small lead for most of the first half, but never by more than six, and at halftime the margin stood at only two. Keene State stole the lead midway through the second half on the strength of an 8-2 run and with the Owls holding a 44-37 advantage, the Jumbos seemed to be on the verge of imploding. This time, however, Tufts responded, fighting back and regaining a 57-54 lead with 47 seconds to play on a basket by sophomore Valerie Krah. The Owls challenged once again when they cut the lead to one with a three pointer, but a free throw by Miller-Stevens sealed the two-point victory for the Jumbos. Tufts, playing without starting point guard junior Julia Verplank for the ninth straight game, protected the ball well in its top ball-handler's absence, committing only seven turnovers in the second half, even as the Owls turned up the defensive heat. "[Keene State] pressed us quite a bit," coach Carla Berube said. "They played some run and jump, and then they went to some zone in the second half. We didn't turn the ball over as much; we did a better job taking care of it in the second half." Berube was happy with the team's performance in the close game. The two-point margin of victory constituted their smallest of the season, and only their third in single digits as the Jumbos rolled over teams by impressive margins in the first half of the season. "The last couple of weeks we had some close games that didn't go our way, so this feels good," Berube said. "We made some big shots down the stretch and had some big offensive rebounds." The Jumbos dominated the boards the entire game, finishing with 17 offensive rebounds. "At halftime we talked about how we could crash the boards on them," Berube said. "They weren't doing a great job boxing us out. [Sophomore] Laura Jasinski did a really good job. She got a huge rebound near the end of the game." Tufts displayed good balance offensively, with three players scoring in double figures. Miller-Stevens led the team all across the board with 13 points, five rebounds, and four assists. The sophomore guard, who began the season as a valuable bench player for the Jumbos, has stepped up into the starting spot and point guard position in Verplank's absence. "[The Keene St.] game was a team effort," Miller-Stevens said. "Overall we were very balanced, we worked well as a team, and we need to see more of that in the future." The Jumbos would certainly like to see more of it tonight, when they host MIT in another non-conference game. "We're lucky that we have good opponents right down the road," Berube said. "It changes it up, and we need to fill up our schedule. We always want to put a non-conference game during the week in between the NESCAC weekends." In MIT, Tufts faces a team that likes to keep the score low. The Engineers defend well, holding opponents to just 40-percent shooting on the season and their offense has been shaky, shooting just 30-percent from the floor. The Jumbos, who, despite a few low-scoring games during their recent losing streak, have generally put up high numbers, breaking the 70-point mark six times this season. "I hope we can turn [the tempo] up," Berube said. "They like to play zone and slow the game down, but we're going to get up and down the court. We want to force turnovers and get easy baskets." The Jumbos would like to keep their recent momentum going as long as possible, as they try to recover from the seven-game slide that has put them near the bottom of the NESCAC rankings as they approach the final push to the postseason.

Basketball

Men's Basketball | Jumbos drop second straight during road trip

February 2

Despite having the reigning NESCAC player of the week in senior tri-captain Reggie Stovell, and a squad that his risen over perennial powers Williams and Middlebury this season, the men's basketball team was handed its second consecutive loss on Tuesday by non-league Keene State, 90-78. The team's losses yesterday and Saturday against Connecticut College followed a three-game NESCAC winning streak in which the Jumbos defeated Wesleyan, Middlebury, and Williams, and solidified its spot in the conference rankings. While the loss dropped Tufts' overall record to 11-8, the team retained its 5-1 NESCAC record, good enough for a second-place tie with Bates. The problems against Keene St. came in areas in which the Jumbos have had no trouble his season. Despite fielding an imposing post presence and the league's second-leading rebounder in Stovell, Tufts was outscored in the paint 22-8 and out-rebounded 49-39. "The biggest factor contributing to the loss was the fact that they were more athletic than us," coach Bob Sheldon said. "We didn't have Brian Kumf, who is our most athletic player." The sophomore forward, whose 11.6 points per game and 6.5 rebounds per game are a major weapon in the Jumbo lineup, is out with strep throat. "We haven't had him for the past three games and we're still adjusting to playing without him," Sheldon added. Unlike in six out of the team's last seven games, Reggie Stovell was not at the top of the scoring list. While he played his way to his tenth double-double of the season, he fell below his season average of 19 ppg with 10 points and 12 rebounds on only 3-14 shooting. "Teams have gotten the word that Reggie is our player to beat and now they're keyed on him," Sheldon said. "It was a 'poor' night for him and he still got a double-double. I'm not too worried." The Owls' focus on Stovell gave senior tri-captain Drew Kaklamanos free reign of the Jumbo offense. He led the team in scoring, hitting 15 of his 17 points on 5-11 from beyond the arc. Freshman Jake Weitzen also contributed 17 points. What did not help the Jumbos was the brilliant play of junior Sean Sullivan of the Owls. The 6'6" forward ripped off a game-high 24 points on 7-12 shooting and a perfect 8-8 from the free throw line. Freshman guard David Sontag controlled the Owls' outside game, adding 21 points, including 4-7 shooting from behind the arc. The Jumbos led only once all night, going ahead 3-2 on a three-pointer from freshman Brian O'Keefe just 13 seconds into the game. Keene State scored the next 12 points to go ahead by 11, which would remain the margin at halftime. The Jumbos cut the lead to two on a free throw by junior Dan Martin with five minutes remaining in the first period, but that was as close as it got. The Owls maintained a double-digit lead for most of the second half as Tufts only briefly crossed the psychologically-crucial 10-point margin with 11:29 to play and could not close the score below nine before the final buzzer. The Jumbos reached down their bench for some additional manpower, as Jake Weitzen came off the bench to tie for the team lead in scoring with 17 points. Bench scoring has been a consistent aspect of Tufts' game plan and Tuesday was no exception, but even the 32-19 margin in Tufts' favor wasn't enough to make the difference for the Jumbos. The win marked Keene St.'s fourth consecutive victory with Tuesday's win, moving them to 11-7 overall, and coach Rob Colbert's reaction to his team's showing reflects Tufts' growing reputation among even non-league programs. "It's definitely a statement win for us," Colbert said. This positive attitude was echoed by scoring leader Sean Sullivan. "We knew it was going to take a while, but things are coming together for us." The Jumbos have a chance on Thursday to regain their momentum heading into the end of the season when they suit up at UMass-Dartmouth. The Corsairs are 9-10, and have lost to Keene State twice already this year. After that the Jumbos move on to Bates, where they will return to conclude an eight-game road trip against the Bobcats, who are also vying for the top slot in the NESCAC with a 5-1 record. Even though the Jumbos are riding a two-game skid, Sheldon remained optimistic. "We don't need to make any major adjustments for UMass-Dartmouth. Brian Kumf should be coming back to practice on Wednesday, so we don't need to account for his sickness anymore." Sheldon also reflected on his team's long road trip. "It's tough to go out and keep playing in other gyms, but we'll be fine once we get home." Tufts will be back on Tuesday in Cousens Gym against Newbury for their first home game since January 15, followed by two more home games next weekend to close out the season. The Jumbos' performance in these next crucial games will determine the team's postseason opportunities in the NESCAC Tournament.

Basketball

Men's Basketball | Stovell continues to be team's go-to player

January 31

With the Jumbos trailing 83-82 to the Wesleyan Cardinals in the closing seconds of overtime in Friday night's game and the team's perfect conference record in jeopardy, the team needed a hero. Luckily, senior tri-captain Reggie Stovell has been playing that role all year for the Jumbos. With 2.7 seconds left, Stovell took a pass from sophomore Dave Shepherd and knocked down a 12 foot jumper from the corner of the lane. The shot marks the third time this season that Stovell has saved the Jumbos with a game-winner. "Without Reggie, the team doesn't go," sophomore Dave Shepherd said of his teammate. "He's our go-to-guy and everybody feeds off of him." In a season in which the Jumbos have improved to 11-7 and 5-1 in the conference, nobody's improvement has been as dramatic as Stovell's. His statistics are surging as he has boosted his scoring from 11.4 to 19.1 points per game since last year. Stovell has also doubled his rebounding from 5.0 to 9.7 per game and improved his shooting from 40.6 percent to 45.4 percent from the floor. For his efforts, Stovell has been rewarded with two NESCAC Player of the Week awards, the only repeat recipient of the season. According to teammates, Stovell is a legitimate candidate for NESCAC Player of the Year, but he has a different goal in sight. "I don't have any concrete individual goals," Stovell said. "I've been working hard, working my best, to make the team win. My only goal is a team goal and that would be to win the NESCAC Tournament." Stovell's play is a big reason why the Jumbos have a legitimate shot at accomplishing that feat for the first time since 1997. Stovell attributes his success to the hard work he put in during the offseason. Last season was a frustrating one for him as he appeared in only 18 games due to a preseason injury and was disappointed with his play. "Last year, I broke my foot before the season even started and wasn't in shape for the season," Stovell said. "This year, I spent the entire summer playing basketball in D.C. and also in the weight room working on legs and squats. That has really helped me get off the floor for rebounds." Stovell's improvement in rebounding has been important for a Jumbos team that has averaged 10.6 more rebounds a game than its opponents. Stovell has averaged over four offensive rebounds a game, which has given him the opportunity for easy putbacks. "He doesn't take a lot of shots to get the points he does," senior tri-captain Jesse Belodoff said of his longtime teammate. "Most of his points come in the flow of the offense. Numbers don't lie and his numbers have been phenomenal." But while they may not lie, they also don't tell the whole story. Stovell freely admits that his changes in his attitude may be partially responsible for the noticeable jump in his statistics. "I guess a lot of my attitude was kind of anger because we had players who weren't all about basketball," Stovell said. "This year, I don't have to be angry or overaggressive. Last year, I would have to be aggressive to rile the team up. I always consider myself a guy who likes to get everybody excited." According to his coach and teammates, Stovell has been a leader on and off the floor. "[Stovell] has been huge," coach Bob Sheldon said. "He is a senior captain and is leading us in points and rebounds. We go the way he goes. When he works hard, as he always does, he really leads us." According to Belodoff, Stovell's leadership is even more important on a team that has a lot of younger players, as he is able to lead by example. "[His leadership] has been as good or better than anybody could have expected, not just for him, but for anyone," Belodoff said. "He is always working the hardest in practice and is always in the gym. We have a young team with a lot of freshman and sophomores on the floor. To see someone with that work ethic is crucial." Stovell's leadership will be tested down the stretch as the team vies for a NESCAC Tournament title. "We have to beat tough teams," Stovell said. "The next two weeks we face the top three teams in the NESCAC, Amherst, Trinity and Bates. It is important for us to stay focused. It will be tough but it can be done - we have guys who can do it."

Basketball

Women's Basketball | Women put stop to seven-game losing streak

January 30

The women's basketball team can now breathe a little easier. The Jumbos, who began their season with a record-breaking seven straight wins, finally snapped the program's longest losing streak in five seasons on Saturday night with a much-needed win over Connecticut College.

Basketball

Men's Basketball | Stovell only able to carry team so far; Tufts suffers first NESCAC loss

January 30

In back-to-back games, the men's basketball team found itself in do-or-die situations, trailing by one with the ball and the clock ticking down.

Basketball

Men's Basketball | Jumbos bring down longtime conference rival Williams on the road

January 24

The men's basketball team scored a stunning upset on Friday, beating Williams College on its home court - the first time for Tufts in 11 years. The Jumbos, a team who did not win a single road game last year, defeated Williams, the No. 24 team in the country, by a score of 95-78. The win marked the first time since 1995 that Tufts has beaten Williams. A day later on Saturday, while most people were hunkering down in their dorm rooms awed by the onslaught of nature, the squad, oblivious to the blizzard, felled Middlebury in overtime to win its second road game of the weekend 91-82. The two wins put the Jumbos at 4-0 in the NESCAC season. This doubles last year's NESCAC total, and already the Jumbos have two more wins overall than all of last year with a record of 10-6. At Williams, senior tri-captain Reggie Stovell took control of the paint and dominated from the inside. The Jumbos appeared destined for victory from the beginning. They leapt to an 8-0 lead and never looked back. At halftime the score was 51-32. Coach Bob Sheldon was thrilled with the team's performance. "Reggie was simply red hot. He had 19 points and four rebounds," Sheldon said. "And that was only in the first half." In the second half, the Ephs looked as though they might get close as they opened the half with an 18-8 run. A three point play cut the lead to nine with 15 minutes left, but the Jumbos responded with a 13-4 run that put the game away for good. As a team, the Jumbos shot 60 percent from the field in the first half and three players posted more than 17 points: Stovell with 29, sophomore guard David Shepard with 19, and sophomore forward Brian Kumf with 18. "While Reggie was on fire, we spread the ball around. We had four players in double figures," Sheldon continued. "There are so many playmakers on this team that opponents have a tough time covering all of them." Coming off its upset of Williams, Tufts moved on to face Middlebury the next day. This game proved the opposite of the first, however. The Panthers started with a nine point lead, but the Jumbos fought back to claim a halftime lead of 39-38. During one stretch in the second half, Tufts outscored Middlebury 24-8 and led by nine. Yet Middlebury kept coming back. The Panthers went on an 8-0 run with 3:06 left and took a two point lead with 1:49 left in the game. Twelve seconds later, freshman Jake Weitzen found Shepherd for a three-pointer to give the Jumbos the one point lead. When the Panthers responded with a free throw to tie the game, the stage was set for a dramatic finish. Freshman guard Ryan O'Keefe had a chance to win with a last second three pointer, but missed and the game headed to overtime. In overtime the Jumbos outscored Middlebury 15-6. The Tufts' bench scored seven points to Middlebury's zero, which proved to be the crucial difference. For only the second time this year, Weitzen led the team in scoring with 23. The Jumbos scored 36 overall points off the bench. "Reggie wasn't as on tonight, so our bench players stepped it up and helped out the team," Sheldon said. "Our team concept is so crucial to our success. The bench players aren't in there just to give the starters rest, they're in there to make plays. And Jake Weitzman was definitely important." Weitzman shot eight of 13 from the field and ended the game with 23 points. Stovell, Kumf, and Shepherd all also managed to tally at least 15. Sheldon was optimistic about the team's continued success. "We're in the middle of an eight game road trip, and it's going well. The reason is that we approach every game in any gym the same way. It doesn't matter where it is," he said. "By the eighth road game, even I'll admit that it could become too much." Sheldon is not dwelling on the success. Instead, as always, he is looking to the future. The Jumbos will continue their road trip this weekend with games at Wesleyan and Connecticut College. Wesleyan is ranked fifth in NESCAC, with a 2-2 league record. Conn. College is last with no league wins. "We've got a big NESCAC weekend coming up and we've got momentum," Sheldon said.

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Men's Basketball | Jumbos drop second straight during road trip

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Men's Basketball | Stovell only able to carry team so far; Tufts suffers first NESCAC loss

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