Hartford, Conn. – Sophomore guard Ben Ferris (Essex Junction, Vt.) scored 17 of his game-high 23 points in the first half and added eight rebounds, seven assists, and three steals to lead the visiting Tufts University Jumbos to a 78-57 victory over the Trinity College Bantams in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) men's basketball action this evening on Stan Ogrodnik Court in Ray Oosting Gymnasium. Trinity drops to 8-12 overall and 2-5 in the NESCAC with its second setback in a row, while the Jumbos win their eighth straight game and up their season marks to 14-7 overall and 6-2 in the league.

Trinity held a 27-26 lead with six minutes left in the first half, after two of six first-half points off the bench by freshman forward Mark Richards (Orangeburg, N.Y), but Tufts closed the stanza with a 14-3 run that included a three-pointer and four free throws by Ferris. Tufts led, 40-30, at the break, having outrebounded the Bantams, 20-12. Sophomore center George Papadeas (Athens, Greece) paced the Bantams with eight points in the first half.

The Jumbos held a double-digit lead throughout the second half, shooting 73.7 percent from the field (14-19), and sinking all three of its attempts from long range and seven of its eight free throws. Tufts senior co-captain forward Scott Anderson (Sudbury, Mass.) had 15 points, including three treys in four tries, four boards, and three steals, while first-year center Tom Palleschi (Haverhill, Mass.) added 10 points and six rebounds. The Jumbos finished 28-for-49 from the field (57.1%), 7-for-14 from three-point range, and 15-for-16 from the foul line. Papadeas paced the Bantams with 11 points and five rebounds, while Richards added 10 points, and senior captain guard Mick DiStasio (Yarmouth, Maine) contributed three assists and three steals.