Blue Basketball Outlasts MIT in Overtime

BABSON PARK, Mass. -- Leslie Leong's lay-up with two seconds remaining in regulation forced overtime where the Wellesley College basketball team pulled away with a 59-51 victory over NEWMAC-rival MIT on Saturday evening. The game was played on the campus of Babson College due to unplayable court conditions at Wellesley.

Leong's bucket capped a late come-back by the Blue who found themselves trailing by three points with just 13 seconds left in regulation. The first-year took a defensive rebound the full length of the court for the game-tying bucket.  Wellesley then outlasted the shorthanded Engineers in OT, scoring nine of the periods' ten points to seal the victory.

The win improves Wellesley to 10-9 overall, more importantly, 7-6 in the NEWMAC and in the drivers seat for a playoff berth.  MIT falls to 8-12 overall, with a 4-10 NEWMAC mark, currently out of playoff contention.

In a tight game featuring five lead changes, Wellesley held slim leads all through the first half. The Blue got eight points from sophomore Becca Kimball in the period, heading into the break with a 24-19 advantage.  MIT was kept in the game by five first period points from Anna Merrifield, Rachel Hunt and Margo Batie.

The Engineers erased the deficit early in the second period, taking a 27-25 lead on a convention three-point play from Hunt. After back-and-forth basketball for much of the period, Wellesley opened a 44-38 advantage with five minutes remaining. But once again, the Engineers battled back. This time using three straight three-pointers to quickly turn the six-point deficit into a three-point lead. Tamara Pena hit two, while Batie added one during the stretch.

Wellesley inched back, knotting the game at 47-47 with less than a minute remaining after a lay-up from Katie Shulenberger and a free-throw from Malia Maier. However, MIT's Merrifield then knocked down a jumper, and Lauren Sascha Burton added a free-throw to push the Engineers ahead 50-47 with 13 seconds left in the game.

The Blue keyed their come-back first with a free-throw from Leong (50-48), and then fouling the Engineers with 11 ticks on the clock. A missed attempt from MIT then set up Leong's heroics and sent the game into the extra session.

Wellesley dominated MIT in the overtime period, with the foul-plagued Engineers playing without two key starters. The Blue held MIT without a field goal in the extra period, closing with a 9-1 run for the 59-51 victory.

MIT was paced by Batie and Hunt who tallied 11 and 10 points, with Hunt also accounting for six rebounds and five blocked shots. Also for the Engineers, Pena and Merrifield each added nine points, while Burton recorded eight points and eight boards.

Wellesley was led by 17 points and seven assists from Maier, and double-doubles from Leong and Kimball. Leong picked up 12 points with 11 rebounds, while Kimball added 14 points, 10 boards. Elisha Orama rounded out the scoring with nine points for the Blue.

Wellesley plays next on short rest, heading to Coast Guard on Monday for a 7:00pm game, rescheduled from earlier in the season. MIT travels to Wheaton on Wednesday for a 5:30pm tip.