MEDFORD, MA – Host Tufts University, ranked #16 in the latest D3hoops.com poll, used a quick start and powered past the University of Rochester men's basketball team 77-57 on Saturday afternoon at Cousens Gymnasium.
 
The matchup was part of the annual UAA Challenge, with University Athletic Association teams matching up up at various sites across Division III basketball to square off against teams from the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC).
 
Rochester's loss drops the Yellowjackets to 6-3 on the season, while the nationally-ranked Jumbos improve to 8-1.
 
For the Yellowjackets, graduate student Bennett Kwiecinski started the scoring on the games' opening possession, but Tufts would then score the next nine points and never look back.
 
After David Ackles and Logan Jagodzinski sank layups to make the score 12-6 Tufts, the Jumbos would go on an 8-0 run to boost the advantage to 14 points after just six and a half minutes.
 
Tufts maintained its comfortable lead throughout the rest of the first half, sitting up 19 at intermission, leading 45-26.
 
In the second half, the Jumbos again started quick, scoring 11 of the first 13 points to continue to build its lead.
 
Later in the half, Luke Razi notched a pair of buckets to kick start an 11-4 run, which proved to be Rochester's top offensive stretch of the game. Camden Fleming and Theo Murray also added baskets over the five-minute span.
 
For the game, the Yellowjackets shot 34% overall (21-62) and struggled from distance, making just 2-of-17 3-point attempts (12%). In contrast, Tufts ended the afternoon at 44% overall (32-73) and finished with seven 3-pointers made in 25 tries (28%).
 
Jagodzinski finished as Rochester's leading scorer with 9 points. Nate Beitel had eight points and five rebounds, while also sinking both of UR's 3-pointers. Murray also ended with eight points, and Nate Sock scored six points and had three blocks.
 
Tufts' Scott Gyimesi led all player with a double-double, scoring 20 points and finishing with 14 rebounds. James Morakis added 16 points while Joshua Bernstein ended with 10 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks.
 
Rochester wraps up play at the UAA Challenge on Sunday afternoon, with a matchup against Bates College, with tip-off set for 2:30 pm at Tufts.