Box Score BOSTON, Mass. - MIT's physical defense and Billy Bender's 24 points and seven rebounds proved to be the difference Tuesday night at the Brown-Plofker Gym as the MIT Engineers topped the Emerson Men's Basketball team, 89-57 to drop the team to 0-4 on the season.
The first half saw the Engineers sink an electrifying eight 3-pointers good for 66.7% (8-12) from behind the arc. MIT also shot 60% on field goals. MIT center Noel Hollingsworth led the way with 17 points in the first half as guard Billy Bender contributed 11 of his own, going 3-4 from 3-point range.
MIT played physical with nine fouls in the first half and 21 overall, while Emerson scratched eight of their own personal fouls with 22 in total. The Engineers dominated the boards as well, bringing down 30 while the Lions scraped together just 13, led by guard Eli Kell-Abrams with four.
EC couldn't get the shots to fall as they put up only 38.5% on field goals and 40% from behind the arc in the half. Eli Kell-Abrams pawed at the lead with a team high seven points in the first half while Nathan Firn, Bilali Kalilou-Mack, and Drew Venter each had five.
Will Tashman for MIT stepped up to send three of the Lions shots packing with three blocks in the half, while his MIT teammates engineered an unanswered 21-point scoring spree the last 2:59 of the first half to head into the half up 45-24.
The Lions came out firey in the second half as they tried to claw their way back in the with an encouraging effort by junior Eric Wahl who exploded for 12 points. Though all night the Engineers were dialing long distance (14-20), which ultimately cost Emerson the game as the Lions had to foot the pricey bill.
Leading the way for MIT was Billy Bender, who sliced the net with six three-pointers to go with his 24 points and seven rebounds. Hollingsworth added 17 and Tashman rounded out the double-digit trio by dropping 14 and pulling down eight boards.
MIT shot 65% from the field in the 2nd half and 75% for three as tension was tight for the rest of the night. Emerson improved their percentages going 41.7% from the field and 42.9% behind the arc, but it wasn't enough to compete with the Engineers' dominating precision.
Senior captain Alex Yoh sunk his teeth into the 2011-2012 season with his first two points of the year coming on free throws with 8:43 left in the game. The leading scorer for the Lions was Venter with 14, while Kell-Abrams provided his usual double-digit figures with 12.
The Lions will continue the hunt for their first win on Thursday as they host the Babson Beavers at 7 p.m. in Boston at Emerson's Brown & Plofker Gym. The game will be broadcast live on ESN.
Submitted by Annie Jenkins - Emerson Media Relations
