Payton Scores Career-High 34 Points in Loss at Tufts

Medford, Mass.. –  With four different players turning in double-digit points the Tufts men's basketball team built a first half lead and hung on for a 92-60 win over visiting Framingham State in Cousens Gym on Tuesday night.  

With the win the Jumbos improve to 7-3 and have won their last four. The game was the last of the first semester for the Jumbos, as they next play after Christmas out on the west coast.  Framingham falls to 4-7 with the setback. 

The two teams traded the lead early and no team led by more than three points for the first nine minutes.  With things locked at 13 the Jumbos got a free throw from senior Kene Adigwe with 10:26 left on the clock to give them a 14-13 advantage.  That would start an eleven point unanswered streak for the Jumbos, as they increased their lead to 11, 24-13.  

The Rams got a three from Manny Payton (Fitchburg, Mass.) to break up that streak and come within eight, 24-16, with 4:40 left in the half. But there was no let up from the Jumbos, and they would lead by as many as 18 and take a 16-point advantage, 36-20, into the half.  

Sophomore Pat Racy was the point leader for the Jumbos in the first half, as he finished with ten.  Freshman Luke Rogers finished with six and sophomore Eric Savage and Adigwe each added five.  For the Rams Payton finished with 16 first half points.  Charles Valbrun (Hyde Park, Mass.) was the only other Ram to score, adding four points of his own in the half.  

The Jumbos picked up right where they left off in the second half and maintained a sizable lead for the entire second half.  For the Rams, Valbrun turned in 14 second-half points and Payton added 14 second-half points of his own to try to keep the Rams in it. 

Racy was the point lead for the Jumbos with 18, and he also added six rebounds to his night.  Senior Vincent Pace finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and six assists.  Freshman Will Brady turned in 11 points (including a perfect 3-for-3 from behind the arc) and Savage tallied ten points and seven rebounds.  The Jumbos got 34 points from their bench.  

For the Rams Payton was the point leader with a career-high 34 points and he also added four rebounds.  Valbrun finished with 18 points and four boards.  Trevor Manyak (Bolton, Mass.) scored four points and Nikko Raftes (Whitmas,, Mass.) and T.J. Darton (Fitchburg, Mass.) rounded out the point scorers for the Rams, each with two points. 

The Jumbos are back in action on December 28 when they play at Pomona-Pitzer at 7 pm PST (10 pm EST).  Framingham State returns to action on December 30 with a 1 pm game at Swarthmore.

*Release courtesy of Tufts sports information