MEDFORD, Mass. - The No. 20 Tufts University men's basketball team got 19 points from senior Eric Savage, a double-double from junior Luke Rogers and 17 points from freshman Dylan Thoerner and held off a second-half comeback by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) 75-66 in NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament Second Round play on Saturday evening in Cousens Gym.  With the win the Jumbos advance to the NCAA Sweet 16.  

The Jumbos (23-6) will play Brockport Friday at a location to be announced. RPI sees their season come to an end with a 24-5 mark.

Tufts jumped out to an early lead, ahead by as many as 16 in the first half and taking a 10-point lead into the break. RPI tied things about halfway through the second half, but were never able to take the lead, and the Jumbos held on to win.

After Rogers opened up scoring with a layup, Mason Memmelaar tied things with a layup of his own for the Engineers. Dom Black added a layup on their next possession, but a three from junior Will Brady put the Jumbos back on top, 5-4, about two and a half minutes into play. Brady added another three to push the lead to four, and then a layup from sophomore Carson Cohen put the Jumbos ahead, 10-4, about four minutes into play. 

The Engineers chipped away, getting a free throw from Black, a layup from Jonny Angbazo, and then a layup from Black that brought them within one, 10-9, with 14:38 to go in the half. Tufts responded with a layup from freshman Thoerner and then jumpers by Thoerner and Rogers pushed that lead to seven, 16-9, with 12:53 to go. The Jumbos would lead by at least six for the next four minutes. 

Trailing by nine, the Engineers got a three from Mitchel Wayand and then a jumper from Patrick Mahoney that cut the deficit to four. But the Jumbos responded with a three from sophomore Tyler Aronson and then a layup from Rogers put them ahead by nine, 26-17, with 6:57 to go in the half. Thoerner added a three and Aronson added another three to put the Jumbos ahead by 15, 32-17, with 5:30 to go till the break. They led by as many as 16, but took a 38-28 lead into halftime. 

RPI opened scoring in the second half with a jumpers from Mahoney and Memmelaar to cut the Jumbo lead to six. After the two teams traded points, Black made a layup that brought the visitors within four, 40-36, about four minutes into the second half. The Jumbos held onto that lead, and even increased it to six. Down, 46-40, with 13:11 to go, the Engineers got a layup from Will Rubin and then a three from Wayand.  After Cohen made a layup for the Jumbos, Angbazo sunk a three for the Engineers that tied things at 48 with 11:19 to go.
  
Savage drained a three on the Jumbos end to put them ahead 51-48, and then Rogers added a layup and the free throw after to push the lead to six again. A layup from Savage put the Jumbos ahead, 56-48, with 8:55 to go. They held on to that advantage for the next five minutes or so. 

Down by eight, 63-55, with 3:05 to go, Memmelaar made a layup and then Black added a layup and the free throw after to bring the Engineers within three, 63-60, with 2:31 on the clock. Savage made two clutch free throws to push the Jumbo lead to five with 2:10 to go. Another free throw from Cohen put the Jumbos ahead 66-60 with 1:23 to go. The Jumbos made nine of their ten free throws in the last minute to hold on for the 76-55 win.  

Savage led the Jumbos with 19 points and seven rebounds while also adding two assists and two blocks.  Rogers turned in 17 points and 10 rebounds and Thoerner finished with 17 points and five rebounds. Brady added six points and five rebounds, and Cohen finished with six points and three boards, along with three assists.  Aronson helped with six points and three rebounds.  

Black led the Engineers with 22 points and three rebounds. Memmelaar finished with 15 points and five rebounds. Mahoney added 11 points and three rebounds, along with three assists. Wayand turned in six points, two rebounds and two assists.