FITCHBURG, Mass. – Braeden White hit a buzzer-beating running three pointer from just inside the half court line to give Fitchburg State a 75-72 non-conference victory over the MIT men's basketball team on Friday evening at Parkinson Gymnasium.
Fitchburg State's Jalen Jackson scored 29 points to lead all scorers. Isaac Dobie was the high-scorer for the Engineers for the third time this week, scoring 23 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field.
THE BASICS:
- Score: Fitchburg State 75, MIT 72
- Records: MIT 4-2 Overall, Fitchburg State 5-0 Overall
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Five straight points from Wyatt Mowery had the Engineers in control early, as a triple from the junior made the score 18-5 at the 13:22 mark of the first.
- Fitchburg State slowly worked away at the early deficit before taking the lead with 1:39 left before halftime when Nicolas Von Zboray connected from range to make the score 26-25.
- The hosts held the lead for the final minute and a half, as a Von Zboray layup on the last play of the half sent Fitchburg State into the break with a 32-27 lead.
- The Falcons held a slim lead through the early going of the second until a three from Dobie at 16:32 gave the lead back to MIT, 37-36.
- The Engineers would lead for much of the second half, holding on to an advantage until the 1:05 mark when Joshua Jean Charles hit the second of two free throws to tie the game at 68-68.
- An and-one layup from Jeremiah Simeon on the next Fitchburg State possession gave the Falcons their first lead since the 15:53 mark of the second half, 71-68.
- Rome Delgado-Gonzalez knocked down two free throws on the next MIT possession to pull the Engineers back to within one, 71-70, with 31 seconds left in regulation.
- White hit one-of-two free throws following an MIT foul with 24 seconds left, making the score 72-70.
- That set the stage for Delgado-Gonzalez on the final MIT possession, as he was fouled after elevating to the basket and dropping in a contested layup to tie the score, 72-72.
- However, Delgado-Gonzalez missed the free throw with five seconds on the clock, allowing the Falcons to grab the rebound and turn up court quickly for one last chance.
- In a stunning turn of events, Charles snagged the rebound and found White moving up court. White made two dribbles and elevated just beyond half court before dropping in the game-winning three-pointer as time expired.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- The Engineers shot over 50 percent from three for the second straight game, finishing 7-of-13 from distance. MIT only shot over 50 percent from three in three games last season.
- Delgado-Gonzalez scored 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting in the contest.
- Mowery and Mike Ewing each finished one stat shy of a double-double for MIT. Mowery had nine points and 10 rebounds, and Ewing had 11 points and 9 boards.
- Fitchburg State scored 28 points off of 24 MIT turnovers while only turning the ball over 10 times in the game.
UP NEXT:
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The Engineers will return home to Rockwell Cage for the next two games on the schedule. MIT will host Tufts on Tuesday, November 25 at 7:00 PM before welcoming Bowdoin on Saturday, November 29 at 12:30 PM.
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