Box Score CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Salem State out scored MIT, 16-7, over the five minutes of the game to come away with a 70-61 win over the Engineers in non-conference men's basketball action tonight. Sophomore Drew Healy (Lowell, Mass.) and junior Marcus Faison (Cambridge, Mass.) each had double-doubles to lead the Vikings to the win. The victory was the 250th career win for Salem State head coach Chris Harvey.
With MIT (5-2) holding a 54-53 lead with 5:12 left in the contest, freshman Zach Hurynowicz (Burlington, Mass.) hit a pair of free throws to start a 6-0 surge that gave Salem State (4-2) the lead for good. With 3:28 to play a pair of freebies by freshman Adam Jurko (Weston, Fla.) pulled MIT back to within three at 59-56, but it would be as close the Engineers would get.
Over the final 7:30 of the game MIT missed 10 straight field goal attempts, and with 1:23 to go Healy threw down a dunk that had the visitors up, 65-57. Salem State then hit on five of six free throws to put the game away.
The two teams traded baskets in the early going, but MIT received a three from senior Justin Pedley (Kennewick, Wash.) and a layup from freshman Bradley Jomard (Paris, France) to open a 12-6 lead four minutes in. The Engineers still held a six-point lead three minutes later when Salem State picked up jumpers from sophomore Shaquan Murray (Boston, Mass.) and Faison to make it a two-point contest.
A Murray layup tied the game at 18-all and from there it remained close the rest of the half, with four ties and five lead changes occurring over the final 10 minutes. The final tie of the half came when Jurko drained a three-pointer with 53 seconds left to make it 34-34, but Healy answered on the other end with 33 seconds on the clock to give Salem State a two-point halftime lead.
Neither side could pull away in the opening minutes of the second half, with three more ties occurring over the first three and a half minutes. Trailing by one with 15:30 showing, a three-point play by Jomard put MIT on top, with senior Lampros Tsontzos (Amarousion, Greece) adding a layup to give the Engineers a 47-43 edge.
A three by Pedley put MIT up by six with 10 minutes to go, but sophomore Billy Muse (Salem, Mass.) hit back-to-back shots, including a three, to cut the Engineers' lead to a point in just 40 seconds. Jurko answered with a bucket to push the lead back to three, but it was the last field goal for MIT until the final seconds of the game.
Pedley led MIT with 16 points, with Jurko adding 14 more. Tsontzos led the Engineers with nine rebounds, while Frankel added nine assists and six points. Salem State, which shot 52 percent for the game and out rebounded MIT, 35-30, saw Healy lead all scorers with 20 points while pulling down 10 rebounds. Faison led all players with 12 boards and completed his double-dobuble with 15 points, hitting on six of his eight field goal attempts.
MIT will play again on Saturday; hosting Framingham State University at 1:00 p.m. Salem State will host the New England Classic this weekend at Twohig Gymnasium, taking on Tufts University at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday.
