MIT Downs Wellesley, 68-35

WELLESLEY, Mass. – Sophomore Sarah Berman (York, Pa.) scored a game-high 15 points to lead visiting MIT to a 68-35 New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) victory over Wellesley College basketball on Saturday afternoon at Dorothy Towne Fieldhouse. 

MIT (11-8 overall, 4-1 NEWMAC) used an 18-0 first half run to take a commanding lead before the half en route to the team's fifth consecutive victory. Wellesley (7-12 overall, 1-4 NEWMAC) has now dropped three straight games.

Grad student Paula Pieper (Greenville, S.C.) added 11 points, five rebounds and four assists and sophomore Kamsi Nwogu (Algonquin, Ill.) chipped in with nine points and seven boards for the visitors as MIT finished the contest shooting 46.6% from the field and 57.1% (12-for-21) from beyond the arc. Berman and Pieper totaled eight of MIT's 12 made threes in the contest.

Junior Jiyun Chae (Chantilly, Va.) dropped in nine points to lead the Blue. Pujita Shukla (Austin, Texas) and Arla Hofer (Las Vegas, Nev.) each added eight and five rebounds, with Shukla also tallying three assists. 

MIT led 15-4 after one quarter before Wellesley found their footing, with Chae and senior Rachel Shurberg (Fairfax, Va.) scoring late in the second for Wellesley, who trailed 34-13 at the half. Shukla scored six for the Blue in the third, including four made free throws, while MIT shot (8-for-14) in the quarter. The fourth saw MIT outscored Wellesley 14-10, with grad student Anna Broski (Stillman Valley, Ill.) putting up five for the Engineers.

Both teams return to action on Wednesday evening. Wellesley will travel to WPI for a 7:00 PM NEWMAC contest and MIT will visit the University of Southern Maine for a 6:00 PM non-conference tilt.