MIT Takes Down Blue Basketball in NEWMAC Opener

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – MIT scored 13-straight points in the opening quarter en route to a 67-44 victory over Wellesley College basketball in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) opener for both squads on Saturday afternoon at MIT's Rockwell Cage. 

The Engineers improve to 2-2 overall and 1-0 in conference play. Wellesley now stands at 1-5 overall (0-1 NEWMAC).

Senior Chelsi Scott (Portland, Mich.) recorded a team-high 16 points and six rebounds for the Blue. Junior Ailis Hanley added 13 points, knocking down a pair of three-pointers, while grabbing four rebounds. Sophomore Francesca Korte (Watertown, Mass.) added nine points and five boards off the Wellesley bench.

MIT first year Kara Holinski (Livonia, Mich.) poured in a game-high 23 points, shooting 8-9 from the field and a perfect 4-4 from three-point range. The Engineers shot 53% as a team in the contest, as senior Sabrina Drammis (Hilton Head, S.C.) and first year Kristen Ngan (Sudbury, Mass.) also joined Holinski in double-figures with 12 points apiece. Drammis also pulled down a game-high nine rebounds, adding three assists, four steals and a block in the game.

Scott opened the first quarter with a layup at 8:28 to give the Blue their only lead of the contest, at 2-0. MIT then countered with a 13-0 run, before Scott added the next Wellesley bucket at 2:23, to make the score 13-4. The Engineers added seven more points before the end of the quarter, capping the run with a jumper from Drammis, to take a 20-4 lead. 

Two-straight MIT buckets saw the host's edge swell to 24-4 just over two minutes into the second quarter. Wellesley countered with eight-straight points to close the deficit to 14, at 24-10. However, MIT responded with 11 of the next 13 points to increase their advantage to 35-12 with 1:57 to play before the half. Scott hit a pair of free throws and Hanley added a layup at the buzzer to send the teams into the half with MIT leading 35-16.

MIT only continued to grow their lead in the second half, taking the largest advantage of the game, 65-40, with just under two minutes left in the game.

The Engineers outscored Wellesley 17-13 in the third quarter before Holinski added eight points, shooting a perfect 3-3 from the floor and from the free throw line, in the fourth quarter to help MIT close out the 67-44 victory.

The Blue held a slim 30-29 advantage on the boards in the game, while also shooting 67% (14-21) from the free throw line.

Both teams will continue conference play on Wednesday evening at 7:00 PM in Worcester, as Wellesley will travel to WPI and MIT will play at Clark.