Vincent Pace helps set the cadence for the Tufts offense, which is scoring nearly 18 points per game more than it did last season. Tufts athletics photo

By Rob Knox

MEDFORD, Mass. – The success enjoyed by the Tufts men’s basketball team is special for three seniors: Stephen Haladyna, Ryan Spadaford and Zach Roswold. They would like nothing more to end their careers by participating in the Division III NCAA Tournament, where its women’s squad has done so regularly of late.

Fueled by an entertaining, up-tempo style this season, the Jumbos are off to a 13-4 start to their season, after splitting a pair of tough games last weekend. Though Tufts fell out of the national rankings following its 78-77 overtime setback to Wesleyan and an 83-81 triumph over Connecticut College, it’s still an improvement over last year. Tufts won 13 games each in 2014 and 2015.

They were thrilled with earning a national ranking last week, but more importantly the Jumbos are holding their own in the rugged New England Small College Athletic Conference where the last place team in the 10-team league has an overall record of 9-9. Two teams (Amherst and Wesleyan) are ranked in this week’s D3hoops.com Top 25.

“As a senior, we’re having a good year and this was the first time in my career that we’ve been nationally ranked,” Haladyna said last Friday. “Even though it was awesome to be ranked, we’re not satisfied. We want to keep moving up, make the NCAA Tournament and win the NESCAC. We were happy with being happy and we knew that we deserved to be ranked. We want to make some noise in the NCAA Tournament.”

It’s not as if the Jumbos are some worst-to-first story.

Tufts has always been a solid program, but this season, there’s a different vibe around the team. For starters, the Jumbos lead the conference in scoring at 85.1 points per game, up from the 67.6 they averaged last season. The team’s motto this season has been “We Out.”

Last season, Tufts scored 80 or more points six times. This season, the Jumbos have exceeded that standard 12 times. Furthermore, the Jumbos have scored 90 or points five times, including topping the century mark twice, in a 107-95 victory over Whitman and a 102-69 conquest of Bowdoin.

Three of Tufts four losses have been by three points or less. The Jumbos also enjoyed an eight-game winning streak earlier this season.

With its up-tempo fast paced system, the Jumbos have turned historic Cousens Gym into a must-visit destination. The scoreboard resembles a pinball machine because of the frequency that the digits change.

“It’s fun this year because we are running up and down in transition,” Haladyna said. “Last year, it was more slow-it-down halfcourt offense and now we are getting the chance to get out and run, which is cool. It’s a much more fun game for us guards to get out and run.”

Sometimes changing styles can have an adverse effect on players. Not Tufts as it embraced the quicker pace of play. It has led to excitement for fans along with weary and out-of-breath opponents who are dizzy from the furious MACH-like speed of the Jumbos offense.

“There was no resistance to the new style because we realized that we lost one of our bigs,” Haladyna said. “We wanted to get out and run because we have a lot of long guards and we wanted to use that against other teams. We were definitely happy about the change.”

Tufts has five players averaging double figures Tom Palleschi (12.9), Spadaford (12.5), Haladyna (10.5), Tarik Smith (11.7) and Vincent Pace (17.7). Pace is a talented sophomore that has detonated for 20 or more points nine times this season. He’s a game-changer and is third in the NESCAC in scoring.

Palleschi has complemented his scoring with some great defense. He leads the conference in blocked shots (3.1) and is fourth in rebounding (7.1). He had one of the best performances in the nation this season when he went berserk with 20 points, 14 rebounds and 11 blocks. It took him only 20 minutes to compile his triple-double in only 20 minutes. He also swatted seven shots against UMass-Boston.

Tom Palleschi continues to be strong on the inside for Tufts. Tufts athletics photo

Palleschi, a former NESCAC Rookie of the Year, is blessed to be able contribute to Tufts this season as he feared at one point that he may have had to abandon the sport for good after undergoing heart surgery for an enlarged aorta. 

In last week’s crucial win over Connecticut College, Spadaford scored a game-high 18 points and had seven rebounds. An economics major who likes to sing in the shower, Spadaford is a transfer from Navy, who averaged 1.3 points in 4.1 minutes during the 2012-13 season. After missing a pair of games against Middlebury and Hamilton, Spadaford averaged 16 points during last weekend’s road swing through Connecticut.

For the season, Spadaford has singed the nets for double digit points 10 times, scoring a season-high 21 points twice against Whitman and Colby.

Meanwhile, the 5-11 Smith electrifies the team and adds some sizzle to the Jumbos game. Since Smith entered the starting lineup for good on Dec. 6, the Jumbos have soared, posting a 9-2 mark. The Bronx native lists Steph Curry as a his favorite player and he’s had games in which the reigning NBA MVP would be in awe such as the efficient 7-for-10 shooting display he had in helping Tufts beat Bowdoin, 83-80.

He has scored in double figures 12 times this season, including Tufts’ last four games. Smith has dealt at least five assists in a game five times. He dropped a season best nine dimes in the win over Whitman.

“We knew we were going to be a good team this year,” Haladyna said. “We had a lot of players that can score plus a lot of guards. We lost one big from last year and we thought there would be a little drop off in scoring, but so far it hasn’t.”

Haladyna and the Jumbos came into the season motivated after their season-ending loss to Amherst in the NESCAC playoffs. It could be argued that the seeds planted for this season’s success occurred toward the end of last season when it went 9-3 during a 12-game stretch, which included a 27-point road win at Amherst, which advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

They spent extra time in the gym this summer and were committed to writing a happier ending and perhaps join their successful women’s program as Final Four participants. The Tufts women have advanced to two consecutive Final Fours.

“We all worked hard in the summer and during preseason fall workouts,” Haladyna said. “Everybody was focused and committed on achieving the same goal of winning the NESCAC tournament. We’ve been watching our women make it far every year and we want to be just like them. It would be a great way to end our senior season.”

FDU-Florham still fighting

Checking in on the FDU-Florham Devils in the post Kyra Dayon-era finds they are still enjoying some success and are poised to create some special memories later this year. FDU-Florham has won three consecutive games following a 72-62 overtime victory over Manhattanville on Wednesday afternoon. The Devils are 13-5 overall and 5-2 in the MAC Freedom.

The Devils are a young team, with seven freshmen on their roster. It’s clear at FDU-Florham, the names and numbers may change, but not the expectations of success. It’s a credit to coach Marc Mitchell, who has built a winning culture at FDU-Florham.

It also helped that his pillars this season have been senior Shalette Brown and junior Alyssa McDonough, who combined for 48 points in the win over Manhattanville. They were members of FDU-Florham’s national championship team in 2014. They also played key roles as the Devils advanced to the Elite Eight last season.

Brown, the only senior on the roster, tallied her third straight double-double, scoring 23 points while reeling in 16 boards and recording two steals. McDonough also had a productive outing, leading all scorers in the contest with a season-high 25 points to go along with six rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Brown, who was named MAC Freedom Player of the Week and ECAC Player of the Week, became the Devils' all-time leader in rebounds last week after leading FDU-Florham to a pair of wins last week. In just three seasons and 81 games, Brown has amassed a new school record 879 rebounds. Additionally, earlier this month, the senior forward became the 15th women's basketball player in school history to eclipse the 1,000-point career scoring mark.

Continuing to produce eye-popping numbers, Brown scored 23 points with 20 rebounds, four steals and an assist in a 67-58 win over Delaware Valley. She then proceeded to score 17 points with 19 rebounds, three steals, three assists and one blocked shot in the Devils' 78-62 at Wilkes.

Brown (17.1 points per game) and McDonough (15.6) are ranked third and sixth, respectively in conference scoring. Brown is also averaging an insane 14.6 rebounds per game, which leads the conference and is fifth nationally. Her 14 double-doubles are also fifth in the country.

Last season, McDonough received All-Freedom Conference honorable mention recognition and started 26 games. She averaged 12.4 points and 3.5 assists per game while making 50 three-pointers. This season, she has raised her game a few notches. She has made 30 3-pointers and has been a perfect weapon when teams collapse on Brown in the post.

In addition, the Devils have received strong contributions this season from Rachel Groom (10.7 points per game after missing last season with injury) and Danielle Leguillou (10.1).

The Devils visit Misericordia on Saturday afternoon.

Big players from last week

Lucas Johnson of Benedictine and Jillian Gilman of Daniel Webster College were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association D-III players of the week.

Johnson, a 6-9 senior forward from Naperville, Ill., posted a pair of double-doubles in helping the No. 4 (D3hoops.com) Eagles post two Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference road wins and remain undefeated (18-0, 13-0) this season.

He averaged 15.5 points, 13.0 rebounds, 5.0 blocks, and 3.5 assists for the week while shooting 83.3 percent (15-for-18) from the field. Johnson totaled 10 points (5-for-7 FG), 12 boards and five assists, while his six blocks added to his one-season team record (now at 50) in a 91-67 win at Dominican on Wednesday. He then scored 21 points (10-of-11 FG, 1-for-1 3FG) and added 14 rebounds, four blocks and two assists in a 67-52 victory at the Milwaukee School of Engineering last Saturday.

Johnson is the school's single season record holder for blocks. Benedictine moved up to third in the D3hoops.com Top 25 and hosts Lakeland on Saturday afternoon.

Gilman, a 6-2 junior forward from Weare, N.H., averaged 25.0 points, 18.0 rebounds and 5.0 blocks per game in a 1-1 week for the Eagles (5-10, 3-5) of the New England Collegiate Conference.

Against conference-leading Wheelock on Wednesday, she recorded 23 points (11-of-18 FG, 1-of-4 FT) in an 83-78 overtime loss. Gilman added six rebounds, a steal and six blocks in the game. She then broke a nine-year old Daniel Webster record by notching 30 rebounds (second most in NCAA Division III this season) in an 81-67 win at Fisher on Saturday. Gilman also scored a game-high 27 points (12-of-20 FG, 3-of-3 FT) while adding an assist and four blocks.

Her 27-point, 30-rebound performance marked the single biggest double-double combination (57) in program history. Gilman has scored over 1,300 career points during her stellar career. For the season, she is averaging 18.4 points and 12.1 rebounds.

Piper producers

At 3-15 overall, the Hamline women’s team may not have the record it desires at this point of the season, but the performances of juniors Chelsey Bonsante and Chloe Graves have been bright spots this season. The duo have combined to average 32.1 points per game. They have scored 53.1 percent of Hamline’s 1,078 points.

A 5-5 junior guard from Denver, Graves is second nationally in minutes per game (38.8). She has played every minute of four games this season and over 40 minutes three times. The Pipers have lost four games in overtime this season. Graves played all 45 minutes in a 58-56 loss to Carleton. She is the Pipers’ second leading scorer at 15.4 points per game. She has 228 career assists, which ranks among the top five in program history.

Bonsante, who leads the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in scoring at 16.7 points per contest, scored 20 points in last night’s 60-57 overtime loss to St. Benedict. She is 28 points away from joining the Pipers’ 1,000-point club. Bonsante is one of the country’s hidden gems as she has scored in double figures 16 times this season. She dropped a season-high 32 points against Colorado College in a 68-64 victory. It was the most by any MIAC player this season.

The Pipers held St. Benedict to 34 percent shooting for the night and 53 points over the first 40 minutes -- their second best showing of the season. They also held St. Benedict scoreless for the last 3:02 of regulation time to force the extra session.

Graves scored 12 points, added six rebounds and came up with a game high three steals. Emily Behrman fired in 10 points and Alex Peterson delivered eight rebounds.

Your help

I am serving as the national columnist this season for D3hoops.com for a second season. To help with telling the best stories, delivering fun and insightful nuggets while providing teams the recognition they deserve, please add me to your email list for press releases and postgame releases at rob.knox@d3sports.com. Don’t worry about flooding my inbox. Also, feel free to follow me on Twitter @knoxrob1.

Around the Nation was writen by Rob Knox during the 2015-16 season. A former Division III Sports Information Director at Lincoln University, Rob Knox also worked at Coppin State, ESPN, Kutztown and at the Delaware County (Pa.) Daily Times. He was inducted into the Lincoln University Athletics Hall of Fame, named the CoSIDA Rising Star Award College Division winner and won three writing awards for various game stories including the 2007 D-III sectional triple-OT game between Guilford and Lincoln. In the past, he has also written articles for SLAM magazine and the Philadelphia Inquirer. He is a die-hard Philadelphia sports fan, a graduate of Lincoln and is from Chester, Pa.