Box Score
MEDFORD - MIT junior guard Mitchell Kates (Colts Neck, NJ) had a layup, a steal and two free throws in the final 21 seconds of a close game to give the visiting Engineers a 60-56 win at Tufts in men's basketball action between local rivals on Saturday afternoon.
Seventh-ranked MIT, who led by six at intermission before losing their advantage in the second half, remained undefeated at 11-0. Senior Noel Hollingsworth (Salt Lake City, UT) led the visitors with a game-high 26 points and 11 rebounds. The Jumbos, who dropped to 6-3, received another strong performance from senior Alex Orchowski (Cornwall, NY), who had 18 points on 7 for 8 shooting and 13 rebounds.
A tightly contested first half had ended with the Engineers leading 29-23. Hollingsworth was a machine underneath early, and finished the half with 12 points and five rebounds. Tufts was led by Orchowski's nine points and five boards in the first 20.
MIT maintained a two-possession lead for the first five minutes of the second half, including 35-29 after a Hollingsworth layup at 16:36. However, the Jumbos were 14-7 better than the Engineers over the next eight minutes and took their first lead of the second half at 43-42 on a layup by freshman guard C.J. Moss (Westport, MA) with 8:14 on the clock.
Moss, who had nine second-half points for Tufts, drained a three-pointer at 4:55 to make the Jumbo lead six (54-48). MIT came back though, using an 8-1 surge to gain a 56-55 advantage on Hollingsworth's layup at 1:53.
That set up a dramatic final 90 seconds. Jumbo junior tri-captain Scott Anderson (Sudbury, MA) made one of two free throws at 1:17 to tie the score at 56-56. Both teams missed shots and MIT called time-out with 39 seconds left in regulation. Kates then had the go-ahead layup for a 58-56 MIT advantage with 21 seconds on the clock.
After a Jumbo time-out at 00:21, Kates stole the ball on the ensuing Tufts possession with less than 10 seconds remaining. He was fouled and calmly sank two freebies with two seconds remaining to seal the win for MIT.
Kates finished with 14 points to go with four rebounds, four steals and three assists. Senior Billy Bender (Woodlands, TX) had eight points and three assists for MIT, who won the rebounding battle 34-29. MIT shot 24 for 58 (41.4 percent) from the field.
Moss scored 11 for Tufts, making five of his nine shots. Sophomore guard Kwame Firempong (Inglewood, CA) finished with eight points and five assists. The Jumbos were at 42.6 percent (20/47) from the floor.
Today's game was the last of the first semester for the Jumbos. They play next on January 3 at Gordon. MIT closes first-semester action at home against Wheelock on Wednesday.
Game statistics
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