Men’s basketball comes up short
UMass Boston takes down Engineers by a final score of 59–52
Cold shooting and turnovers were more than MIT could overcome tonight as UMass Boston took a 59-52 decision in a non-conference men’s basketball matchup. Senior Carl Joseph led all scorers with 23 points for the Beacons, while Justin M. Pedley ’16 led the Engineers with 15.
Neither team could pull away in the first 10 minutes of the opening half. Dennis R. Levene ’15 hit the first basket of the game for No. 11 MIT (4-1), with senior Steven McGuire answering for UMass Boston (6-1). Over the next 10 minutes nether side had more than a three-point advantage as the teams saw the score tied four times and the lead change hands three times.
Joseph tied the game for the fourth time with a jumper that knotted things up at 12-all at the 9:15 mark. MIT then committed five turnovers over the next three minutes and the Beacons took advantage by putting together the first run of the game, a 9-0 surge that had them up 19-12 after a free throw by Joseph. UMass Boston still led by seven after a pair of free throws by senior Gregory Young, but a three-pointer by Pedley started the Engineers on the come back trail.
With a minute to go in the half a lay up by Ryan L. Frankel ’16 had MIT back within one at 24-23, but Joseph hit a pair of free throws to give UMass Boston a 26-23 advantage at the half.
Another tight battle ensued in the second half, but MIT started to pull back even and eventually tied the game up for the fifth time at 31-31 when Levene converted on a three-point play at 14:12. Two minutes later a three by Pedley gave the Engineers their first lead of the half at 38-35, but they could not add to their advantage and UMass Boston pulled back even at 39-39 on a jumper by junior Layo Medina with 8:53 left
Joseph then came up with a steal, turning it into three points on the other end on a lay up and free throw. It turned out to be part of a 9-0 run that had the Beacons up 46-39 at the seven-minute mark on another Joseph lay up and UMass Boston never trailed again. MIT crept to within four on a Pedley trey with 1:48 to go, but the Engineers were forced for foul and the Beacons hit five-of-six from the line in the final 38 seconds to seal the victory.
Joseph was the only player in double figures for UMass Boston, adding eight rebounds and four steals. Andrew M. Acker ’15 had 11 points and led MIT with eight rebounds, with Frankel also reaching double figures with 10 points. The Beacons outshot the Engineers, 40 percent to 34.7 percent, with MIT holding a 39-34 edge on the glass. Shooting was especially cold from behind the three-point line where the two teams combined to hit just five of 37 attempts.
MIT will be in action again on Thursday, December 4, when the Engineers will travel to Salem State for a 7:00 p.m. contest. UMass Boston will be on the court again on Saturday, December 6 when the Beacons will open Little East Conference play at Keene State at 3:00 p.m.