DARTMOUTH, Mass. – The MIT women's basketball team kicked off the season by putting together a 17-9 run during the last 6:18 of regulation to defeat Suffolk University, 73-64, in the opening game of the Lafrance Hospitality Tournament hosted by UMass Dartmouth on Saturday night.
Riley O'Sullivan led all players with a career-high 26 points and added six rebounds for the Engineers.
THE BASICS:
- Score: MIT 73, Suffolk 64
- Records: MIT (1-0 Overall); Suffolk (0-1 Overall)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The game was a back-and-forth battle as there were 16 lead changes and six ties. MIT jumped out to a 6-0 lead, but four lead changes and a tie ensued. A three pointer by Kaitlin Tam put the Engineers in front, 14-12, with 12 seconds left in the opening frame.
- Two free throws from Sammie Faella and a layup by O'Sullivan created some breathing room. However, three ties and six lead changes followed as another O'Sullivan layup gave MIT a 32-31 edge at halftime.
- The tight play continued in the third quarter until a 9-2 run resulted in a 47-41 lead for Suffolk with 4:09 on the clock. The Engineers replied with a 7-1 burst, but the Rams knocked down a three during their next possession. MIT used two free throws by Deana Prasad and a jumper from Alexandra Danis to go in front, 52-51, however, Suffolk sank a layup to reclaim the lead with 19 seconds left.
- O'Sullivan's jumper 17 seconds into the fourth quarter put the Engineers ahead for good while Chan's put-back at the 8:38 mark increased the small cushion. The score remained unchanged until the Rams drained a layup almost two minutes later, narrowing the gap to 56-55. During MIT's next trip down the court, Prasad hit a three and then she came up with steal and a fast break layup to spark the pivotal 17-9 game-ending run.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Chan finished with 16 points, a team-high seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals while Prasad contributed nine points.
- Faella chipped in eight points, six rebounds, and three assists as Danis produced five rebounds and two steals.
UP NEXT:
- MIT will play either host UMass Dartmouth or King's College in the championship game of the Lafrance Hospitality Tournament on Sunday, November 8 at 2:00 PM.
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