MEDFORD, MA (December 4, 2024) -- In a battle of Top 20 teams in the latest D3hoops.com Top 25 poll, host and No. 17 Tufts University used a strong second half to rally from a six-point halftime deficit to earn an 88-84 win over No. 7 Keene State College in a non-conference tussle inside Cousens Gymnasium. 

The difference in the contest was Tufts ability to get to the free throw line and handle the consistent pressure put on by the Owls (4-1), and once Tufts was at the line it converted as it went 27-of-34 from the free throw line. In the second half, Tufts also held the strong-shooting Keene State team to just 3-of-14 from behind the arc and outrebounded the Owls 42-21 Wednesday night to help earn the win. 

The opening half was back and forth through the early going, but an 13-2 run by the visiting Owls over a three-minute span gave KSC a 22-13 lead after a jumper from Leo Chaikin. Tufts worked its deficit back down to three at 25-22 on a three-point play from sophomore Liam Kennelly with just under nine to go in the first half, but the Owls once again extended their edge back up to nine with under three to go in the first at 43-34. A big momentum changer going into the half was a play late by Tufts sophomore Zion Watt, who tipped in a missed shot and hit the ensuing free throw to make it a six-point lead for Keene State going into intermission at 45-39. 

Tufts would seem to make the right adjustments during the halftime intermission, as it came out and started the stanza on a 12-2 run to take a four-point lead at 51-47 after a bucket from Joshua Bernstein. A turning point in the game came on the next time down for Tufts, as KSC All-American guard Octavio Brito picked up his third foul with 17 minutes to play. KSC would charge back ahead but Brito was charged with his fourth fall with just under 13 minutes in regulation with the Owls ahead by two. 

From that point, Tufts went on a 12-2 run over the next five minutes, taking its biggest lead of the game at eight points after a pair of free throws by Scott Gyimesi with 8:54 to go in regulation. Down just five with four minutes left in the game, Brito returned and immediately set up a three-pointer to bring the Owls to within two at 80-78. The experience Tufts squad though would stand firm, holding KSC to just two made jumpers over the last three minutes while going 5-for-6 at the line to help clinch the game. 

Gyimesi tallied his fourth double-double of the season for the Jumbos, as he finished with 23 points for the second consecutive game while pulling in a season-high 13 rebounds. Gyimesi was 8-of-12 from the floor, making six of his eight attempts at the line as well. It marked the 26th double-double of his career as well. 

Kennelly turned in a career night for the Jumbos off the bench, as the sophomore scored a personal-best 16 points on 4-of-7 shooting, making two of his three triples and going 6-of-7 at the free throw line. Kennelly's previous career-high was 11 points, set last year in his first year at UMass Boston. He also added season-highs of three assists and two rebounds. 

Morakis continued to fill it up offensively, as he tallied 15 points, four rebounds and three assists, making five of his eight field goals, and Trumann Gettings had a strong game off the bench both offensively and defensively with 10 points and three rebounds in 18 minutes. Bernstein also added eight points and three blocks, while Jon Medley scored seven points and dished out three assists before fouling out. 

Tufts shot a strong 56.0 percent from the floor Wednesday night, going 28-of-50 overall while making five of its 15 attempts from behind the arc. Tufts posted a 31-16 edge in points off the bench, as it managed to win despite 17 turnovers on the evening. 

Keene State shot a respectable 47.1 percent from the field for the game, but made just 23.1 percent of its 26 three-point attempts for the game. The Owls turned the ball over only four times for the game, and held a 23-9 advantage in points off turnovers. 

Wesley Odiase finished with a game-high 27 points on 11-of-18 shooting, and Brito added 14 points, five boards and six assists in 26 minutes of action. Spencer Aronson and Mason Jean Baptiste each added 11 and 10 points, respectively. 

Tufts (7-1) returns to action on Saturday afternoon for the first of two weekend games against University Athletic Association (UAA) competition, battling the University of Rochester at 2 p.m. before hosting Brandeis University Sunday at 4:30 p.m. inside Cousens Gymnasium.