Valiant Comeback Falls Short as MIT Loses in Overtime

A bittersweet feeling is sweeping through the MIT basketball nation as the team prepares for a long journey back to Cambridge, Massachusetts. After setting the school record for wins in a season and capturing its first NEWMAC regular-season championship, the Engineers were bested by a very talented, senior-laden DeSales team in the first round of the NCAA Division III Championship in which regulation didn't provide enough time to produce a winner. Nationally-ranked No. 21 MIT battled back from a double-digit deficit in the second half, but was unable to replicate its heroic overtime victory of a year ago, falling to the Bulldogs, 72-64, on Friday night.

It was a tremendous effort for the Engineers, as five players logged over 40 minutes of action. Freshman Mitchell Kates never came out of the game en route to 16 points and eight rebounds, although he was just 5-of-18 from the floor. Fellow freshman Will Tashman provided the 460+ online viewers a glimpse of his bright future as he poured in a game-best 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting and 9 boards. Noel Hollingsworth also played well for the Cardinal and Gray, dropping in 18 points and had 7 rebounds. Although Hollingsworth was credited with three blocks, he had several additional deflections and drew a constant double-team in the paint throughout the game. Unfortunately, the production pretty much ended there for MIT. Playing in the final game of his MIT career, Billy Johnson dished out a team-best five assists, hauled in 7 rebounds, and scored five points in a critical stretch during the second-half comeback, but the Engineers were certainly hoping for more out of their fifth-year senior and only experienced player. MIT again struggled from distance, shooting 7-27, and only shot 13-24 from the FT line.

Darnell Braswell led the Bulldogs with 19 points, although rookie Jimmy Burke did an admirable job in trying to contain the reigning Freedom Conference Player of the Year. The biggest disappointment of the game for the Engineers was their inability to control the glass. Despite having a size advantage at four positions, DeSales was +12 on the boards midway through the second half and ended the contest with a decisive rebounding advantage. After trailing for most of the game, Kates gave MIT its first lead of the second-half on a free-throw with 2:47 left in regulation. The teams exchanged baskets in the final minutes and both teams missed on bids to end the game on their final possessions. Braswell took the last shot for DeSales as the buzzer sounded but his drive and shot in the paint rimmed out. The All-American senior, however, delivered the decisive blow with under two minutes left in overtime by drilling a three at the top of the arc with the shot clock winding down.

DeSales, which advanced to the Elite Eight last season, behind Braswell's incredible play, will face the winner of host William Paterson and Albertus Magnus in the second round on Saturday.

NCAA Meeting is First for MIT and DeSales

For the first time in school history, MIT men's basketball will face DeSales University when the two teams square off on Friday in the opening round of the 2010 NCAA Division III Championship. The game will mark MIT's (22-4) second consecutive appearance in the NCAA postseason tournament, while DeSales (22-5) will be hoping to duplicate the magic that resulted in a run to last year's Elite Eight.

The Engineers have been battling an unfortunate series of injuries in the last several weeks, most notably to sophomore Billy Bender, who has missed the last three games. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs enter the postseason tournament as one of the hottest teams in the country, having won 15 of 16 including their last eight games. Led by 2009 NABC First Team All-American and two-time Freedom Conference Player of the Year Darnell Braswell, DeSales won the Freedom Conference Championship with a 69-61 victory over Misericordia. Braswell scored 27 points in the league final, while adding nine rebounds, five assists, and three steals.

Although DeSales features a deep bench (nine players average 14+ minutes), Braswell is clearly the centerpiece of the team. Against Misericordia, he accounted for nearly half of the Bulldogs' shot attempts, and despite being a 6'1" guard, he leads the team in scoring (21.0 ppg) and rebounding (8.3). DeSales is well-balanced offensively, taking 38% of its shots from three-point range. Senior Rob Schubach (47%) and sophomore Bob Zanneo (44%) are the team's top three-point threats, although neither player starts. At 6'5" Zanneo probably plays above most of the competition, but his ability to get open looks against a long MIT team will be an interesting aspect to watch. Junior Brian Hunter averages 10.6 ppg and is the team's top playmaker (3.8 apg), but the 6'3" point guard is DeSales' worst free-throw shooter at 60%. Jim Malatesta, who scored 10 in the conference championship win, has also been a sub-par shooter at the line (62%). The Bulldogs round out their starting five with 6'4" senior forward Matt Zwetolitz and 6'6" sophomore middle Jamey Bercier.

The Engineers enter the contest with a definitive size advantage and will need big contributions from Noel Hollingsworth and Will Tashman. Bender, who is expected to play, would create another favorable size matchup for MIT, while 6'8" senior wing Billy Johnson will need to step up defensively. Despite suffering another ankle injury in the NEWMAC playoffs against Clark, Mitch Kates is still the floor general for this young group of players and his effectiveness on both sides of the ball will factor heavily in the outcome. Expect to see different looks from MIT defensively as the team has demonstrated the willingness to shift between man and zone. MIT heads into Friday's tilt as the proverbial underdog, but don't think that means much. The Engineers were the decided underdog in last year's opener where it shocked Rhode Island College for its first NCAA win.

MIT Release