CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Noel Hollingsworth scored a
career-high 34 while freshman Mitchell Kates added eight assists as
MIT downed Lesley, 88-61, in non-conference men's basketball action
on Saturday afternoon. Hollingsworth also collected 10 rebounds to
secure his seventh double-double of the campaign and help the
Cardinal and Gray finish the first semester a perfect 11-0. Jesus
Trejo led the way for the Lynx (3-8) with 15 points and 10 boards.
The teams traded buckets early, as Trejo tied things up at four
with 16:30 to in the opening half. The up and down pace would
become a bit erratic as the teams then went more than two minutes
without scoring. Hollingsworth converted on a pass from Kates at
the 14:25 mark, starting an 11-0 run over the next 2:46 to give the
Engineers a lead they would not relinquish. Freshman Jimmy Burke
hit a pair of trifectas during the spurt. A pair of free throws by
Will Tashman sent MIT into the break with a 43-27 advantage.
After trailing by as many as 20 early in the second, Jermaine
Harris' three-pointer with 10:06 to go brought Lesley to within 13,
at 63-50. That was as close as the visitors would get the rest of
the way, as the Cardinal and Gray responded with an 18-2 run to put
the game out of reach. Hollingsworth picked up 10 of his 34 during
that stretch, as MIT was able to break the Lesley full-court press
for a few easy buckets.
Billy Bender contributed 12 points and a season-high 11
rebounds. Tashman had another solid outing totaling nine points and
12 caroms while senior co-captain Billy Johnson scored 14. The
Engineers held a 49-29 edge on the boards and picked up 15
second-chance points.
Bryant Itonyo, 14 points, and Harris, 11 points, joined Trejo in
double-figures for the Lynx.
MIT will now be off for the next two weeks, returning on
December 28 to take on Division I foe, Harvard. The two Cambridge
neighbors have squared off 10 times, but not since 1985, with the
Crimson owning a 9-1 advantage over their cross-town rivals. The
game on the 28th is at Harvard and begins at 4:00 p.m. Lesley
does not play again until January 9, as it begins New England
Collegiate Conference (NECC) play, hosting Daniel Webster at 2:00
p.m.
