March 3, 2006
CORTLAND, NY - Senior forward Matt George pumped in a game-high 21 points for Endicott but it was not enough in an 83-60 defeat to Tufts University in the opening round of the NCAA Division III Tournament at SUNY Cortland State.
George also grabbed eight rebounds and dished out five assists while senior guard Zach Ellis (Westford, MA/Westford) added 15 points for the Gulls. However, the Jumbos shot 59 percent from the floor, including 63 percent in the second half and put five players in double figures compared to just two for EC.
Senior Dan Martin (Sandwich, MA/Phillips Andover) led the Jumbos with 20 points while sophomore O'Keefe (Everett, MA/Everett) dropped in 18 points. Tufts raised its record to 22-6, tying the school's single-season record for victories set in the 1972-73 season.
The Jumbos will face the UMass-Boston/Cortland winner Saturday night (7). Endicott made its third straight NCAA Tournament appearance and finished another tremendous season at 19-10.
Tufts used a 10-4 rally late in the opening stanza to take control of the contest. Clinging to a six-point advantage, the Jumbos made the run in the final 4:15 of the first half, taking a 38-26 lead into intermission.
The Jumbos, who led by at least 12 the entire second half, got strong games from junior David Shepherd (Grantham, NH/Proctor), who scored 12 points, as well as junior Brian Kumf (Milford, MA/Milford) and sophomore Jake Weitzen (New York City/Bronx H.S. of Science), who each netted 10 points. Kumf also had 10 rebounds while Weitzen handed out seven assists off the bench.
George capped a brilliant four-year career for Endicott in impressive style. The senior co-captain averaged over 23 points in four postseason games and led all scorers in each of those contests. Ellis and George led Endicott to three straight CCC titles and three straight NCAA appearances. The duo also appeared in the CCC final in each of their four seasons in an EC uniform.
