BOSTON – A near seven-minute scoring lull cost the Rams offense down the stretch, which allowed No. 13 Tufts to take down Suffolk men's basketball, 76-57, Tuesday night at Larry E. and Michael S. Smith Court.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 57 | No. 13 Tufts 76
RECORDS: Suffolk (2-1) | No. 13 Tufts (3-0)
HOW IT HAPPENED
It was a see-saw affair in the first 20 minutes with five tied scores and six lead exchanges. The last came in the Jumbos favor, 32-30, with 2:50 to go before halftime.
That gap grew to as many as five before Owen Walters swished a jumper and Danny Yardemian banked in a lay-up with 40 seconds to make it a one-point game, 35-34, with 40 seconds left in the first frame.
A lay-up by Bobby Stewart though sent Tufts into the intermission with a three-point cushion, 37-34.
Out of the break, Suffolk's deficit kept bouncing back to five points and stayed there at 43-38 at the 17:37 mark.
Nick Verdile's triple was followed by what could have been an old school play by Keenan Robertson. The senior missed the free throw to keep things even at 45-all with nearly five minutes removed from the second stanza.
The Rams hung with the Jumbos and still remained within one, 52-51, at the midway point.
Six straight Tufts points gave the visitors their largest lead to that point at 58-51 at the 8:25 minute mark.
Yardemian managed to make a layup out of a Suffolk timeout, which the Rams' bench would help ignite some more offensive output. Instead, the blue-and-gold went scores over the next 7:36 and the Jumbos took advantage with 18 unanswered points to put the game out of reach for the host.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Robertson was the only Ram in double figures. He registered 23 points on an 8-for-15 showing from the floor that included a 3-for-6 effort from 3-point land. He added four points and two handouts.
- Yardemian finished with seven points, five caroms, four dimes and one steal.
- Jake Gomez added six points, three boards, one helper and one takeaway.
NOTEWORTHY
- Suffolk played its first nationally ranked foe since playing the No. 11 Jumbos Nov. 18, 2021.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk hits the road Friday, Nov. 22 for a clash at Colby Sawyer at 7:00 p.m.
