THE BASICS:
 
- Score: MIT 65, WPI 52
 
- Records: MIT (19-7); WPI (13-13)
 
- Location: Cambridge, Mass. (Rockwell Cage)
 
- The Lead: Junior Kamsi Nwogu (Algonquin, Ill.) scored 15 points and three other MIT players finished with 14 points to propel the third-seeded Engineers to a 65-52 victory over sixth-seeded WPI in a NEWMAC Women's Basketball Tournament quarterfinal game on Wednesday night. Adrianna Niles posted her second straight double-double, equaling a career-high with 21 points and setting a new career-standard with 15 boards, including 13 off the defensive glass, for WPI.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 
- The first quarter was a period of runs with the hosts recording the first five points of the game before WPI answered back with an 8-0 spurt of its own. MIT countered with nine of the last 11 points of the frame, including seven straight from junior Angie Choi (Cypress, Calif.), to lead 14-10 after 10 minutes.
 
- Niles netted six of her eight first half points in the second quarter and her three-pointer with 2:34 to go before intermission brought the guests back to within a point (19-18). However, MIT rattled off the final six points of the half, highlighted by Nwogu's putback layup with 22 seconds that ended a possession that saw the hosts corral three offensive rebounds that gave the Cardinal and Gray a 25-18 edge at the break.
 
- Junior Elise Harvey (Wayland, Mass.) and Nwogu combined for 15 of MIT's 21 points in the third quarter, including a trio of three-pointers from Harvey. The homestanding Engineers outscored WPI, 21-20, in the frame to take a 46-38 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
 
- MIT equaled its largest lead of the game at 10 points on consecutive baskets to make it 50-40 less than two minutes into the fourth quarter. WPI whittled the deficit down to four points twice but on both occasions, MIT answered back with buckets on its ensuing possessions to keep the visitors at bay. After WPI had closed it to 54-50 on a layup by Alice Kelly with 3:42 left to play, MIT delivered 11 of the game's final 13 points, including an 7-of-10 performance at the charity stripe.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
 
- Nwogu paced MIT with nine rebounds as Choi finished with 14 points and three steals. Graduate student Christina Antonakakis (Holmdel, N.J.) posted 14 points and three assists while Harvey totaled 14 points and five rebounds. Sophomore Alice Hall (Ambler, Pa.) chipped in seven rebounds.
 
- Kelly compiled 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals as Shannon Reno contributed three assists and two steals.
 
- Both teams generated 26 points in the paint as MIT led the way in rebounds (43-32), second chance points (9-7), fastbreak points (14-1), and bench scoring (6-4). WPI ended the night with a 14-13 advantage in points of turnovers.
 
- With the win, MIT will be making its fifth appearance in the NEWMAC Tournament semifinals in six seasons.
 
UP NEXT:
 
- MIT will travel to No. 2 seed and nationally ranked No. 15 Smith College on Friday, Feb. 23 for a semifinal game slated for 7:00 p.m.
 
STAY CONNECTED:
 
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Release Courtesy of WPI