MIT Downs Wheaton, 84-47, In NEWMAC Opener At Home

The Wheaton College men's basketball team was dealt an 84-47 loss by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action on Saturday afternoon in Emerson Gymnasium.

Sophomore forward Mike O'Loughlin (Milford, N.H./Milford) scored a team-high nine points, dished out three assists, had three steals and picked up two rebounds for the Lyons. Classmate Mike Cannon (New York, N.Y./Hyde School) contributed eight points on 4-of-9 shooting, a team-high seven rebounds and one steal.

For the Engineers, senior guard Mitchell Kates (Colts Neck, N.J./Phillips Exeter Academy) led four players in double-figures with 20 points (6-of-13 shooting), six assists and two steals. Sophomore forward Matt Redfield (Los Altos, Calif./Gunn) compiled 19 points, nine rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal. Senior forward Will Tashman (Atherton, Calif./Menlo School) posted a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Sophomore forwardAndrew Acker (Merion Station, Pa./The Haverford School) rounded out the group with 15 points, six caroms and one assist.

MIT registered a 60.0-percent field goal percentage (30-for-50), went 2-for-12 from long range (16.7-percent) and 22-for-25 at the free throw line (88.0-percent). Wheaton connected on 29.7-percent of its field goal attempts (19-for-64), shot 24.0-percent from three-point range (6-for-25) and 50.0- percent at the line (3-for-6). The Engineers held a 52-18 advantage in points in the paint and outrebounded the hosts, 40-26.

MIT went on a 10-2 run to open the contest with Redfield collecting five points during that stretch. Redfield threw down a one-handed fastbreak dunk at 19:30 to make it 5-0 and also converted 3-of-4 free throw attempts.

Wheaton answered with a 9-1 run cutting its deficit down to one point, 12-11, at the 13:56 mark. O'Loughlin and senior guard Scott Faucher (Lebanon, N.H./Kimball Union Academy) highlighted the run with a pair of three-pointers. The Engineers went on to hold Wheaton scoreless over the next three minutes of play pushing their lead to ten points, 21-11, at 11:19 and never allowed their lead to slip under eight points for the remainder of the game.

MIT outscored the Lyons, 43-21, in the second half receiving a 20-11 differential in bench points and a 32-6 margin in points in the paint during the stanza.

Wheaton (6-5, 0-1 NEWMAC) travels to Clark University on Thursday, Jan. 10 for a NEWMAC clash scheduled for 3 p.m. MIT (10-2, 1-0 NEWMAC) visits Springfield College on Tuesday, Jan. 8 for a NEWMAC contest at 7 p.m.