NEWMAC Semi-Finals Preview: #4 MIT vs. #1 WPI

#4 MIT vs. #1 WPI
Saturday, Harrington Auditorium - Worcester, MA, 1pm

Live Stats | Video

Probable Starters:

MIT (18-8, 8-6)	Ht.	PPG	RPG		WPI (22-3, 12-2)	Ht.	PPG	RPG
Matt Redfield	6'8"	13.3	8.9		Ryan Kolb	6'5"	13.1	4.9
Andrew Acker	6'8"	11.7	9.5		Domenick Mastacusa	6'5"	11.0	4.6
Russell Johnson	6'6"	2.5	4.5		Sean Doncaster	6'3"	4.7	1.7
Justin Pedley	6'6"	11.6	1.6		Sam Longwell	6'3"	16.5	6.1
Ryan Frankel	5'11"	7.8	3.1 apg		Aaron Davis	5'10"	6.9	4.0 apg

A Look at WPI:

Recent Performance
WPI is currently ranked #11 overall in Division III and are winners of the NEWMAC regular season.

Last Time Out
WPI took the 64-52 decision in Rockwell Cage last time out after shooting 51% from the field and 42% from three. WPI held MIT to their lowest rebound total (23) in over 4 years.

X's & O's
WPI runs a motion offense with many flares and handoffs for their shooters Sam Longwell and Zach Karalis. WPI will utilize the pick-and-roll, will look to spread the floor, and look to penetrate off the dribble (especially with Aaron Davis in late shot clock situations).

WPI will push the ball hard up the floor in transition. In the half-court, they do not run a strict offense; primarily 3-out-2-in and 4-round-1 motion with block to block screening.  The objective of their offense is to get someone who they feel has a favorable match-up in 1-on-1 situations, have Longwell or Karalis create, and the rest of the shooters spotting up.

WPI defensively will play straight man help and recover. They will overplay at every position, with heavy pressure on the wings. WPI plays very hard, and will dive after every ball and every rebound.

MIT Advances to Conference Semi-Finals

#4 MIT defeated #5 Emerson last night in Rockwell Cage 64-56 to earn the quarter-final victory and advance to the semis.

Despite only shooting 34% from the field, MIT finally got hot from three (44%), limited their turnovers (only 8), and out-rebounded the Lyons 42-34 to secure the win.

MIT received stellar play off the bench from Freshman Dakota Pierce, who led all scorers with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field and connected on 4 three-pointers. 6'8" Andrew Acker registered his 12th double-double of the season with a 17-point, 13-rebound performance to go along with 3 assists and 2 steals. Point Guard Ryan Frankel continued his dominance leading the offense, scoring 14 points on a perfect 3-of-3 from three while playing the entire game.

MIT faces nationally-ranked and #1 seed WPI on Saturday in the NEWMAC semi-finals.

NEWMAC Quarterfinals Preview: #4 MIT vs. #5 Emerson

MIT vs. Emerson 
Wednesday, Rockwell Cage - Cambridge, MA, 7pm

Live Stats | Video

Probable Starters:

MIT (17-8, 8-6)	Ht.	PPG	RPG		Emerson (13-12, 6-8)	Ht.	PPG	RPG
Matt Redfield	6'8"	13.7	8.8		Brian Hurley	6'7"	9.6	5.1
Andrew Acker	6'8"	11.4	9.4		Sean Duffy	6'4"	4.7	3.0
Dennis Levene	6'8"	4.2	4.2		Jon Goldberg	6'4"	11.9	9.7
Justin Pedley	6'6"	12.0	1.5		Tyson Hallowell	6'3"	8.6	1.4
Ryan Frankel	5'11"	7.6	3.2 apg		Michael Thorpe	6'0"	15.0	3.5 apg

A Look at Emerson:
Recent Performance
Emerson battled it out with Wheaton College in the final regular game of the season, falling 79-73.

Last Time Out
MIT took down Emerson 80-61 just two games ago behind solid performances by Matt Redfield (24 pts) and Ryan Frankel (23 pts).

X's & O's

Emerson College finished 13-5 in the GNAC last season before moving into the NEWMAC this year. The Lyons knocked off #1-ranked Amherst and nationally-ranked WPI earlier in the season.

Emerson will look to get out on the break, with their guards looking to push the ball while the bigs run to the rim. In the half-court most of their sets are out of a 1-4 high with the posts at the elbow. Emerson will set a lot of side ball screens, especially for Thorpe, and will feed their posts who get to the block quickly and aggressively. Emerson will also look to crash the boards hard.

On defense, look for Emerson to try a number of defensive schemes to contain MIT's height. 

Babson Takes down MIT in Regular Season Finale

Box Score

In a defensive battle between two of the NEWMAC's top teams, Babson outlasted MIT 53-42 Saturday afternoon in Rockwell Cage. Both teams shot under 36% from the field and 29% from three, and crashed the glass evenly (MIT 35 rebounds, Babson 33). The Beavers of Babson handled the ball much better than the Engineers, however, with only 7 turnovers compared to MIT's 16.

Freshman Tim Butala has registered double-figures in four of the last seven games (Pic: Robert Krawitz)

6'8" Matt Redfield led the Engineers again with 13 points and 6 boards, with 6'8" Freshman Tim Butala helping alongside with 11 points, 5 rebounds, and three three-pointers.

6'8" Matt Redfield continued his strong play in the post (Pic: Robert Krawitz)

Earlier in the day, the Engineers celebrated their Alumni Day, complete with an Alumni vs. Alumni game (odd graduation years vs. even graduation years) and luncheon.

With the conclusion of the regular season, MIT finished with a 17-8 record and earns the #4 seed in the playoffs. They will face Emerson College on Wednesday at 7pm in Rockwell.

Game Preview: MIT vs. Babson (Alumni Day)

MIT vs. Babson 
Saturday, Rockwell Cage - Cambridge, MA, 1pm

Live Stats | Video

Probable Starters:

MIT (17-7, 8-5)	Ht.	PPG	RPG		Babson (19-5, 10-3)	Ht.	PPG	RPG
Matt Redfield	6'8"	13.7	8.8		John Wickey	6'7"	13.7	6.4
Andrew Acker	6'8"	11.4	9.4		Joey Flannery	6'4"	18.9	5.7
Dennis Levene	6'8"	4.2	4.2		Eric Dean	6'3"	9.8	7.5
Justin Pedley	6'6"	12.0	1.5		Matt Palazini	6'3"	11.4	2.6
Ryan Frnakel	6'3"	7.6	3.2 apg		Kenny Ross	6'1"	5.8	6.8 apg

A Look at Babson:
Recent Performance
Babson is on a 6-game win streak, which include two overtime wins as well as a victory over nationally-ranked WPI. Babson is currently on the bubble for a Top-25 ranking.

Last Time Out
Babson had their way with MIT last time out en route to a 65-47 victory. Babson shot 42% from three and forced 17 MIT turnovers.

X's & O's

Babson comes into the 2013-2014 season with a loaded roster, a great mix of veteran leadership and new talent. Babson was recently ranked in the Top 25 and are currently 11-4 on the season.

In transition the Beavers get out and run, with freshman Joey Flannery very aggressive on the break and Matt Palazini looking to find his three's. In the half-court Babson will use a 3-out 2-in motion with guards passing and picking away while John Wickey getting post position on the block. Babson has a great inside-out presence and will be relying on their three-balls, transition buckets, and spacing on offense. 

MIT Takes Down Emerson 80-61

Box Score

MIT shot 54% from the field, connected on 9 three-pointers, and held Emerson to only 15 rebounds en route to the convincing 80-61 victory Wednesday night.

6'8" Matt Redfield stuffed the stat sheet once again with 24 points, 7 rebounds, 5 steals, 4 blocks, 2 assists, and a dunk. Sophomore Ryan Frankel led the way at point guard with 23 points and 7 assists after nailing 4 three-pointers. Andrew Acker added 11 points and 7 rebounds, while sophomore Russell Johnson netted a double-double with 11 points and 10 boards.

MIT moves to 17-7, 8-5 in NEWMAC, and faces second-place Babson College on Alumni Day on Saturday.

Game Preview: MIT vs. Emerson

MIT vs. Emerson 
Wednesday, Brown-Plofker Gym - Boston, MA, 7pm

Live Stats | Video

Probable Starters:

MIT (16-7, 7-5)	Ht.	PPG	RPG		Emerson (13-10, 6-6)	Ht.	PPG	RPG
Matt Redfield	6'8"	13.7	8.9		Brian Hurley	6'7"	9.8	5.0
Andrew Acker	6'8"	11.7	9.5		Sean Duffy	6'4"	7.0	4.5
Dennis Levene	6'8"	4.3	4.2		Jon Goldberg	6'4"	10.3	9.1
Justin Pedley	6'6"	12.5	1.5		Tyson Hallowell	6'3"	9.4	1.5
Ryan Frankel	5'11"	7.8	3.2 apg		Michael Thorpe	6'0"	13.6	3.2 apg

A Look at Emerson:
Recent Performance
After taking down #5 WPI, Emerson snagged two more wins before falling to Springfield.

Last Time Out
MIT and Emerson battled it out in the paint last game, with MIT proving the victors with a 71-66 victory. Redfield, Acker, and Frankel combined for 56 of MIT's 71 points.

X's & O's

Emerson College finished 13-5 in the GNAC last season before moving into the NEWMAC this year. The Lyons knocked off #1-ranked Amherst earlier in the season.

Emerson will look to get out on the break, with their guards looking to push the ball while the bigs run to the rim. In the half-court most of their sets are out of a 1-4 high with the posts at the elbow. Emerson will set a lot of side ball screens, especially for Thorpe, and will feed their posts who get to the block quickly and aggressively. Emerson will also look to crash the boards hard.

On defense, look for Emerson to try a number of defensive schemes to contain MIT's height. 

MIT Defeats Wheaton 72-58

Box Score

Four Engineers registered double-figures in points today as MIT took down conference foe Wheaton Collge 72-58. The Engineers shot 47% from the field, hit seven three-pointers, out-rebounded the Lyons 41-28, and assisted on 16 of their 25 field goals.

Andrew Acker led the way with 21 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks on the afternoon. Sharp-shooter Justin Pedley scorched the nets for 17 point on 5-of-10 shooting from three. Matt Redfield added 13 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists, and Sophomore point guard Ryan Frankel added 12 points and 5 assists.

MIT moves to 16-7 on the season and takes on Emerson College on Wednesday in a NEWMAC battle.

Game Preview: MIT vs. Wheaton

MIT vs. Wheaton 
Saturday, Emerson Gymnasium - Norton, MA 1pm

Live Stats | Video

Probable Starters:

MIT (15-7, 6-5)	Ht.	PPG	RPG		Wheaton (8-12, 3-8)	Ht.	PPG	RPG
Matt Redfield	6'8"	13.7	8.9		Zach Parsons	6'5"	4.5	3.7
Andrew Acker	6'8"	11.7	9.5		Quinton Dale	6'4"	8.4	5.9
Dennis Levene	6'8"	4.3	4.2		Mike Cannon	6'3"	5.2	4.0
Justin Pedley	6'6"	12.5	1.5		Agyei Gregory	6'3"	14.3	5.0
Ryan Frankel	5'11"	7.8	3.2 apg		Will Bayliss	5'10"	7.6	4.4 apg

A Look at Wheaton:
Recent Performance
The Wheaton Lyons are coming off two close contests with Emerson and nationally ranked WPI. Freshman standout Agyei Gregory netted 25 points in the loss to WPI.

Last Time Out
The big-man duo of Matt Redfield and Andrew Acker led the way for the Engineers in the 75-57 win. The two combined for 45 points, 25 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 blocks, 3 steals, and 2 dunks.

X's & O's

Wheaton College comes into the 2013-2014 season with a reloaded roster, adding front-court depth and an exceptional rookie class. They have added 9 "impact" freshmen to their guard-oriented attack, and as a team will look to get out in transition. The Lyons will look to get all the way to the rim, shoot the pull-up elbow jumper, or kick it out for three. They are an "early offense" type team, and once in the half-court they will primarily utilize a 4-around-1 or 3-around-2 motion offense. Wheaton will look to spread the defense out for dive and kick opportunities, 1v1, and high ball screens for pick and pops.

Defensively they average over 7 steals and 5 blocks per game, thus making for a disruptive time for any offense. 

MIT's Battle with #12 WPI Falls Short

Box Score

WPI shot 51% from the field and out-rebounded MIT 32-23 en route to a 64-52 victory over the Engineers of Cambridge Wednesday night in Rockwell Cage. WPI's defense was able to hold All-Conference selection Matt Redfield to just 3 points and MIT's leading scorer, Justin Pedley, to 4. 23 rebounds is the lowest rebounding total for MIT since January of 2010.

6'8" Freshman Tim Butala stepped up big again for MIT, scoring 18 points including 4 three-pointers and 4 rebounds. Sophomore Ryan Frankel added 12 points and 5 assists, and Junior Co-Captain Dennis Levene netted 10 along with 4 rebounds.

MIT moves to 15-7 on the season and takes on Wheaton College this Saturday.

Game Preview: MIT vs. #12 WPI

MIT vs. #12 WPI
Wednesday, Rockwell Cage - Cambridge, MA, 6pm

Live Stats | Video

Probable Starters:

MIT (15-6, 6-4)	Ht.	PPG	RPG		WPI (18-3, 8-2)	Ht.	PPG	RPG
Matt Redfield	6'8"	13.7	9.3		Ryan Kolb	6'5"	14.3	5.3
Andrew Acker	6'8"	11.7	9.8		Domenick Mastacusa	6'5"	10.2	4.1
Dennis Levene	6'8"	4.2	4.3		Sean Doncaster	6'3"	4.8	1.7
Justin Pedley	6'6"	12.9	1.5		Sam Longwell	6'3"	17.1	6.2
Dakota Pierce	6'3"	4.4	1.6		Aaron Davis	5'10"	6.9	4.1 apg

A Look at WPI:

Recent Performance
WPI is currently ranked #12 overall in Division III and are 8-2 in conference play and 18-3 overall.

Last Time Out
WPI took the 59-47 decision on their home court last time after hitting 8 of their first 13 threes while MIT shot just 8% from three themselves with 19 turnovers.

X's & O's
WPI runs a motion offense with many flares and handoffs for their shooters Sam Longwell and Zach Karalis. WPI will utilize the pick-and-roll, will look to spread the floor, and look to penetrate off the dribble (especially with Aaron Davis in late shot clock situations).

WPI will push the ball hard up the floor in transition. In the half-court, they do not run a strict offense; primarily 3-out-2-in and 4-round-1 motion with block to block screening.  The objective of their offense is to get someone who they feel has a favorable match-up in 1-on-1 situations, have Longwell or Karalis create, and the rest of the shooters spotting up.

WPI defensively will play straight man help and recover. They will overplay at every position, with heavy pressure on the wings. WPI plays very hard, and will dive after every ball and every rebound.

MIT's Defense Takes Care of Coast Guard

Box Score

MIT held Coast Guard to just 14 first-half points and 23% shooting for the game, eventually taking home the 45-37 victory. Although things weren't the prettiest for the Engineers on offense (38% shooting, 16 turnovers), MIT converted at the free-throw line (18 total free-throws made) and clamped down on defense and the boards (+10 for the game).

MIT had three players score 10 points in a balanced offensive outing, with 6'8" Matt Redfield registering a double-double with 13 rebounds, Justin Pedley reaching his 10 with a handful of threes, and Sophomore point guard Ryan Frankel adding 4 rebounds and 4 assists.

MIT moves to 15-6 on the season and 6-4 in the NEWMAC. MIT currently sits 1 game out of 2nd place behind Springfield and Babson. MIT faces WPI in Rockwell Cage on Wednesday.

Game Preview: MIT vs. Coast Guard

MIT vs. Coast Guard
Saturday, US Coast Guard Academy - New London, CT, 1pm

Live Stats | Video

Probable Starters:

MIT (14-6, 5-4)	Ht.	PPG	RPG		Coast Guard (5-15, 2-7)	Ht.	PPG	RPG
Matt Redfield	6'8"	12.7	9.5		David Anderson	6'6"	11.2	4.9
Andrew Acker	6'8"	10.8	9.8		Ryan McNeil	6'4"	6.3	2.3
Dennis Levene	6'8"	5.4	4.6		John Benedict	6'4"	7.5	3.2
Justin Pedley	6'6"	15.5	1.5		Ricky Rodriguez	6'2"	9.0	3.6
Dakota Pierce	6'3"	4.3	1.6		Devonte Weems	5'11"	6.9	3.3 apg

A Look at Coast Guard:

Recent Performance
Coast Guard is fighting for a playoff spot and have shown this fight in recent games, beginning with a close contest with #4 WPI. Coast Guard went on to beat Wheaton College 73-55 the following game, and most recently fell to Clark in another hard-fought NEWMAC contest.

Last Time Out
MIT and Coast Guard battled it out in Rockwell Cage last outing, with MIT prevailing with the close 53-49 win. Andrew Acker led the Engineers with 20 points and 13 rebounds.

X's & O's
Coast Guard's offense is ran by Devonte Weems, who will look to push the ball in transition off of rebounds and turnovers. The Bears will play 4 guards at time, and will take the first shot that presents itself (they shoot 20 3's per game).

In the half-court CGA will run a 4-around-1 motion (with Anderson as the focal point down low) or a 5-out offense. This is a completely new offense for the Bears, who primarily ran the Flex offense in the past (a continuos and structured offense with lots of screens).

Defensively the Bears will look to mix some defenses (half-court man, 2-3 zone, 1-3-1, 2-2-1 3/4 press) to deal with the Engineers' height.

MIT Falls to Springfield on Road

Box Score

A poor 2nd-half performance by the Engineers cost them the game Thursday evening in a battle for second place with Springfield College. MIT shot just 36% from the field, 20% from three, and were out-rebounded 17-15 in final half, leading to the 59-51 loss.

6'8" Matt Redfield paced the Engineers with 14 points and 4 rebounds despite getting double-and triple-teamed throughout the contest. 6'8" Freshman Tim Butala stepped up big again after a career-game versus Clark, posting 12 points and 5 rebounds on 5-of-10 shooting. 6'8" Andrew Acker added 12 points and 7 rebounds.

MIT moves to 14-6 on the season and 5-4 in the very competitive NEWMAC. They travel to Connecticut on Saturday to face the US Coast Guard Academy.

Game Preview: MIT vs. Springfield

MIT vs. Springfield 
Thursday,  James Naismith Court - Springfield, MA, 7pm

Live Stats | Video

Probable Starters:

MIT (14-5, 5-3)	Ht.	PPG	RPG		Springfield (14-5, 5-3)	Ht.	PPG	RPG
Matt Redfield	6'8"	13.9	9.4		Tim Swenson	6'7"	11.2	9.8
Andrew Acker	6'8"	11.9	10.2		Robbie Burke	6'4"	13.7	7.9
Dennis Levene	6'8"	4.4	4.2		Nick Sienkiewicz	6'3"	8.8	2.8
Justin Pedley	6'6"	13.7	1.4		Alex Garstka	6'1"	11.3	2.4
Dakota Pierce	6'3"	4.6	1.8		Sean Martin	6'1"	11.4	4.2

A Look at Springfield:

Recent Performance
Springfield is coming off a 1-point loss versus #4 WPI. Springfield is also 14-5 and 5-3 in conference, and tied with MIT for 2nd place.

Last Time Out
MIT and Springfield battled it out in an intense game last time in Rockwell Cage, with both defenses going at it. MIT grinded out the 55-51 victory behind a career-high 27 points from sharp-shooter Justin Pedley (including 7 three-pointers).

X's & O's
Springfield will certainly look to push the ball in transition, but will look to score when the opportunity presents itself. In the half-court, they will run one of their many sets and will look to score off one of the options from each set. They have a solid inside presence in Swenson and Burke and have shooters that can stroke it from beyond the arc.

Defensively Springfield is a gritty team, and will look to apply pressure and intensity for 40 minutes. MIT must be prepared for a number of different defensive strategies by the Pride.

Clark Stuns MIT in Last-Second Thriller

Box Score

After a back and forth battle all afternoon, Clark University hit a fade-away baseline jumper with 2 seconds left on the clock to grab the 56-55 win over MIT on Saturday in Worcester.

MIT's defense again held an opponent to a lower 2-point percentage (34%) than 3-point percentage (40%), as the Cougars nailed eight treys in the game while MIT shot just 4-of-19 from three themselves. The Engineers, one of the top in the nation in rebounding margin, was also only +2 versus Clark, who crashed the glass hard for 14 offensive rebounds.

A bright spot for MIT was stellar play from 6'8" freshman Tim Butala, who showed multiple facets to his game - hitting threes, driving the lane, and posting up - en route to a team-high 16 points. 6'8" Junior Matt Redfield was dominant again with 14 points, 16 rebounds, and 6 blocks on the night, while Sophomore Ryan Frankel added 13 points and 9 assists at point.

MIT moves to 14-5 on the season, and 5-3 in NEWMAC for a three-way tie for 2nd place. MIT takes on Springfield College Thursday at 7pm in Springfield.

Game Preview: MIT vs. Clark University

MIT vs. Clark University
Saturday, Kneller Athletic Center - Worcester, MA, 1pm

Live Stats | Video

Probable Starters:

MIT (14-4, 5-2)	Ht.	PPG	RPG		Clark (10-8, 1-6)	Ht.	PPG	RPG
Matt Redfield	6'8"	13.9	9.0		David Mercier	6'6"	4.2	3.3
Andrew Acker	6'8"	12.4	10.8		Andrew Musler	6'4"	12.6	4.0
Dennis Levene	6'8"	4.4	4.2		Nicholas Daprato	6'0"	17.6	4.4
Justin Pedley	6'6"	14.2	1.5		Tyler Huffman	5'10"	7.1	1.6
Dakota Pierce	6'3"	4.8	1.9		Lucas LaLima	5'7"	4.2	3.8 apg

A Look at Clark:
Recent Performance 
Clark University is fresh off of a very important conference victory versus Babson College this past Wednesday, putting the Cougars within striking distance of the last playoff spot, and dropping Babson from a three-way tie for second place with MIT and Springfield to sole possession of third place. The

Last Time Out 
MIT defeated Clark 63-36 in the NEWMAC opener. MIT showed the conference why they are ranked among tops in the nation in defense and rebounding (holding Clark to 18.9% shooting and +13 on the boards), and showed an all-around performance on the offensive end.

X's & O's 
Clark will look to run on both misses and turnovers. In transition, the guards will push the ball up the right side of the court while the shooters will look to run to the three point line to get open looks.

In the half court Clark runs a motion offense with a few sets interspersed. The majority of the sets are designed to get Nicholas Daprato a shot. The Cougars will run a lot of screen-the-screener plays, especially for Daprato, as he is very good at reading and reacting to the offense. 42% of their shot attempts are from three, and the Engineers ability to contest their three point shooting will be a huge part of the game.

Defensively the Cougars have shown half-court man and 2-3 zone, a 3/4 press, as well as a 2-1-2 full court press. The Engineers must be prepared to handle the ball in the backcourt and use their size advantage down low.

Redfield, Acker Power MIT Past Wheaton

The 6'8" Junior power-duo of Matt Redfield and Andrew Acker powered MIT past Wheaton College Wednesday evening, leading the Engineers to a 75-57 conference win. The two dominating forces combined for 45 points on 16-of-21 shooting (76%), 25 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 blocks, 3 steals, and 2 dunks.

MIT as a team shot 52.2% from the field, and out-rebound the Lyons 42-25. After a first half which saw the two teams nearly tied at half-time, MIT's nationally-ranked defense went on to hold Wheaton to 37% from the field and 0-of-7 from three in the second half.

6'6" sharp-shooting Sophomore Justin Pedley netted 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting from three, while Sophomore point guard Ryan Frankel paced the Engineers with 5 assists.

MIT moves to 14-4 on the season, 5-2 in conference, and faces Clark University on Saturday.