MIT opened up a double-digit lead on Babson in less than 10 minutes and never looked backed, cruising to a 67-49 win tonight at Rockwell Cage. MIT was paced again by Noel Hollingsworth, who scored 21 points (7-12 FG), grabbed 8 rebounds, and had 2 blocks. Mitchell Kates added 11 points and 6 assists, while Billy Bender also got into double figures with 10 points. The night, however, belonged to Billy Johnson, who scored his 1000th career point five minutes into the second half. Johnson is the 23rd player in MIT history to score 1000 career points.The game started out slowly, with Babson leading 4-2 three-and-a-half minutes into the game. However, MIT went on a quick 7 point run to take the lead, which they would never surrender. The game would reamin in single digits over the next 5 minutes of action, but MIT would stretch their lead to 11 just 9.5 minutes into the game. The lead would extend to 18 on multiple occasions, including at the half, as the Engineers headed to the break up 39-21.
The second half started with an MIT run, as they stretched the lead to 27 just 5 minutes into the half, 50-23. The last three points in that run was on a three-pointer by Johnson, which put him exactly at 1000 points for his career. MIT would lead by 20+ points rest of the half, until a 6-0 Babson run to end the game cut the lead to 18, with the final score 67-49.
MIT held Babson to just 35% shooting, with no player scoring in double-figures. MIT shot nearly 60% as a team from the floor and 70% from the three (7-10).
MIT improves to 19-2 overall and 7-1 in NEWMAC play. MIT now has a week off before hosting Clark on February 10 at 8:00 pm.
