NEW YORK (March 2, 2024) -- For the second straight night, the Tufts University men's basketball team locked down defensively when it mattered the most as the Jumbos knocked off host and No. 8 New York University 65-62 in 2024 NCAA Tournament Second Round action from the John Paulson Center Saturday evening in New York.

With the victory, Tufts (21-7) moves into the NCAA Sweet 16 round for the first time since the 2019-20 season while the this year's trip will be the fifth in school history. Tufts also has advanced to the NCAA Third Round in 2020, 2017, 2016 and 2006. 

The teams traded blows in the first half, as the pace of the game was fast from the start as the teams traded the lead seven times with eight tie scores. The first half was highlighted by shot making on both sides, as the Jumbos shot 55.2 percent from the floor over the opening 20 minutes while NYU (21-6) shot 50 percent. Sophomore guard James Morakis was nearly unstoppable in the opening half, going 6-of-7 in the first stanza. 

With the score tied at 31 with 2:50 to play in the first half, junior big man Trumann Gettings finished a great pass from Scott Gyimesi and was fouled. The Tufts' lead would grow up to as much as seven at 40-33 after another Gettings bucket but two Spencer Freedman free throws for NYU made the score 40-35 at the break. Zay Freeney had a team-high 17 points in the first half for the host Violets. 

The Jumbos would continue to lead in the second half, taking their biggest lead at 11 with 14:56 to go on a corner jumper from Khai Champion. Tufts continued to hold an edge, leading by 10 with 8:11 to play on a triple from Gyimesi but the Violets would start their comeback after that bucket. The hosts went on a 13-2 run over the next four minutes, capped by a three-pointer from Freedman with 3:25 left to give NYU the lead at 61-60. That would be the final field goal that NYU would make the rest of the game. 

After a Tufts' timeout, Champion drilled a three-pointer to put the Jumbos back on top for good as Tufts held the hosts to just one point over the final 3:21. During that sequence, Freedman had a chance to give NYU the lead but his lay-up was blocked by sophomore Joshua Bernstein and the rebound was grabbed by Champion. After two fouls to put Tufts in the bonus, senior Jay Dieterle drilled both ends of a one-and-one to make the score 65-62. 

After two timeouts by the Violets, the ball was inbounded at the top of the key but NYU was unable to get a shot off as the Jumbos held on the for the victory. 

Morakis scored all 14 of his points in the opening half for Tufts, but added three boards and four assists for Tufts. Champion added 14 points off the bench for the Jumbos, hitting 4-of-8 from downtown, while Dieterle totaled 12 points on 4-of-9 shooting. Gyimesi finished with his 19th double-double of the season, totaling 11 points and 10 rebounds, making five of his seven field goals. 

Bernstein also added six points, seven boards, five assists and two blocks in the win. Tufts finished 26-of-58 from the floor (44.8 percent) from the floor, going 9-of-20 (45.0 percent) from three-point land. The Jumbos held a slight 33-29 edge on the glass, while finishing with a 22-6 edge in points off the bench. 

Freedman was hounded by Tufts' Casey McLaren and Jon Medley all night but still managed to score 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting including 3-of-7 from three-point land. Freeney posted a game-high 20 points for NYU, and Quinn Clark tallied nine points as well. Emmanuel Onuama also totaled five points and eight rebounds. The Violets shot 47.1 percent from the floor, making 24-of-51 from the field. 

Tufts will now move on to take on New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) foe Trinity College in the Sweet 16 round at a site and time to be determined. Trinity knocked off Swarthmore College 83-74 in the NCAA Second Round to advance to the next round. The NCAA will announce the site host on Sunday.