THE BASICS:
 
- Score: MIT 85, Eastern Nazarene College 57
 
- Records: MIT (6-7); Eastern Nazarene (5-10)
 
- Location: Cambridge, Mass. (Rockwell Cage)
 
- The Lead: A 21-6 run during the last 6:16 of the first quarter gave MIT a lead it would not relinquish as it went on to defeat Eastern Nazarene College, 85-57, on Saturday afternoon. Sophomore Kamsi Nwogu (Algonquin, Ill.) powered the Engineers with a game-high 20 points to go along with six rebounds. Alondra Jimenez generated 12 points, four steals, and four rebounds for the Lions.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 
- After a back-and-forth start, Eastern Nazarene took a 7-6 edge following a free throw by Delaney Walker at the 7:03 mark. Almost a minute later, a put-back by first-year Alice Hall (Ambler, Pa.) sparked MIT's game-changing 21-6 run, which featured 11 unanswered points during the last four minutes of the quarter.
 
- The Engineers carried the momentum into the second stanza as their advantage grew to 39-17 after Nwogu's jumper in the paint with 3:52 on the clock. MIT maintained its comfortable cushion as a layup by Ashley Quigley with six seconds remaining brought the Lions within 48-29 at halftime.
 
- Eastern Nazarene chipped away at its deficit during the third quarter, as another Quigley layup narrowed the gap to 12 points (60-48) with 1:36 to go. The Engineers countered with a free throw from first-year Kaya Weiser (Villanova, Pa.) and then a put-back by first-year Brianna Lebrun (Hartford, Conn.) to close out the frame.
 
- MIT controlled the action in the fourth quarter as it outscored the Lions, 22-9, for the 85-57 final score. The Engineers' largest lead of the day was 84-55 after a layup by Lebrun with 2:17 left to play.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
 
- Sophomore Angie Choi (Cypress, Calif.) posted 18 points, five rebounds, and four steals as Hall registered 10 points and eight rebounds. Sophomore Olivia Joseph (Newtown Square, Pa.) scored 10 points coming off the bench while sophomore Sarah Berman (York, Pa.) notched seven rebounds and three steals. Graduate student Paula Pieper (Greenville, S.C.) rounded out MIT with six assists.
 
- Quigley finished with 10 points followed by eight from Anaira Ayala and Walker. Michala O'Donoghue and Te'yalla Simpson both grabbed six rebounds for the Lions.
 
- The Engineers led the way in rebounds (49-27), points in the paint (46-16), points off turnovers (25-9), second-chance points (21-2), and bench scoring (26-19).
 
- MIT shot 45.3 percent (34-of-75) from the floor, 30.4 percent (7-of-23) from three-point range, and 58.8 percent (10-of-17) from the free throw line.
 
- Eastern Nazarene shot 40.4 percent (19-of-47) from the floor, 27.8 percent (5-of-18) from behind the arc, and 63.6 percent (14-of-22) at the charity stripe.
 
- This was the first meeting between both programs since the 2008-09 season. The Engineers lead the all-time series, 4-2.
 
UP NEXT:
 
- MIT returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 14 when it travels to No. 8 Smith College for a 2:00 p.m. NEWMAC game. Eastern Nazarene, meanwhile, will host Emerson College on Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 5:00 p.m.
 
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