Tufts University shot 62.1 percent in the second half and pulled away for an 81-63 win against the Hamilton College Continentals in a 2017 NESCAC Men's Basketball Championship quarterfinal at Tufts' Cousens Gym on Saturday afternoon.

Hamilton (16-9 overall) was the eighth seed and making its third appearance in the NESCAC championship. The Continentals fell 94-81 at Tufts back on Jan. 14. Hamilton shot 46.9 percent from the field and were whistled for 26 fouls as Peter Hoffmann '19 and Michael Grassey '19 fouled out in the last two minutes.

The Jumbos (20-5) are the top seed in the championship and ranked 13th in the D3hoops.com Top 25 poll. Tufts committed just four turnovers and shot 32 free throws but made just 17 of them for 53.1 percent.

Hoffmann finished with 10 points and four blocked shots. Kyle Pitman '17 scored a season-high 10 points in his third start this season. Tim Doyle '19, Jack Dwyer '18, Vincent Conn '20 and Grassey chipped in eight points each. Mark Lutz '20 grabbed a season-best eight rebounds off the bench.

The Jumbos received 18 points, eight boards and four assists from Vincent Pace. Tarik Smith dropped in 17 points and Ethan Feldman was a perfect 3 of 3 from 3-point range and ended up with 15 points in 15 minutes off the bench. Everett Dayton added 12 points and eight rebounds.

Doyle tied the score for the last time at 37-37 with 16:40 left. Tufts' KJ Garrett put the Jumbos ahead for good 11 seconds later with a free throw. Dayton followed with an old-fashioned 3 point play and Eric Savage made a layup for a 43-37 cushion.

It was still a five-point game at 57-52 with 6:59 remaining after Conn sank a pair of free throws. The Jumbos then took control with a 10-0 run for a 67-52 advantage with 4:28 to go. Feldman started the spurt with two free throws and Smith made one. Smith added a jumper, Feldman nailed a 3-pointer and Smith capped the run with two free throws. The Continentals didn't get closer than 13 points the rest of the way.

There were three ties and four lead changes in the last three minutes of the first half. Tufts scored the first six points and held Hamilton off the scoreboard until Kena Gilmour '20 made a jumper with 14:26 left. The Jumbos led by as many as 12 points twice at 18-6 and 21-9.

The Continentals roared back with an 18-4 run that gave them their first lead. Pitman started the spurt with a jumper, Hoffmann converted a 3-point play and Pitman nailed a 3-pointer. Layups by Pace and Dayton sandwiched a Dwyer jumper before Lutz made a basket, grabbed a defensive rebound and swished a trifecta. A Grassey 3-pointer put Hamilton in front for the first time at 27-25 with 2:44 remaining.

Smith made three free throws and Tufts moved back into the lead at 28-27. Doyle went 2-for-2 at the line and gave the Continentals their last advantage at 29-28. Smith tied the score with yet another free throw and Pace beat the halftime buzzer with an offensive rebound and jumper. The Jumbos held a 31-29 edge at the break. Pace scored 12 points in the first half.

Tufts hosts Williams College in a NESCAC championship semifinal on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 2 p.m.