CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- The Mount Holyoke College basketball team played the host MIT Engineers closely from end to end of a 62-51 loss in NEWMAC play on Saturday afternoon, as MIT won its fifth straight game.
The game represented the Lyons' closest result against the Engineers since a 63-56 loss in the 2013-14 season, in what has become a regular theme of their conference schedule. In the 13 matchups prior to Saturday's 62-51 loss, Mount Holyoke had lost to MIT by an average of 44.5 points per game.
The teams were statistically even in field goal percentage, 3-point accuracy and turnovers, as the Lyons had their second-best games of the season in both field goal percentage (.420) and three-point field goal percentage (.292). But MIT had a big advantage in free throws, making 14-17 (.824) while Mount Holyoke made two of only four attempts at the line. The Engineers also outrebounded the Lyons 38-24.
MIT (11-10, 5-2 NEWMAC) guard Deana Prasad scored 17 points, while Mary Lobon and Ruth Lanouette added 12 points apiece.
Senior Alex Twomey (Nutley, N.J.) played a big game for the Lyons, scoring a team-high 15 points, including eight in the fourth quarter, to go with six assists and a career-high seven steals. Senior Taryn White (Alexandria, Va.) scored 14 points on 7-9 shooting from the field. Sophomore Ania McMichael (Glastonbury, Conn.) made 3-7 3-pointers for nine points and junior Sofia Francisco (Boston, Mass.) had seven points and eight rebounds for MHC.
Mount Holyoke grabbed a 4-0 lead to start the game with hoops by Twomey and White. A 3-pointer by junior Hannah Goen (New London, N.H.) made it 11-5 in the Lyons' favor with 5:05 remaining in the first quarter, and a jumper by White made it 13-7 with 2:39 to go.
MIT finished the quarter with five straight points, including a tip-in by Lobon at the buzzer. The Engineers opened the second quarter with a three by Prasad to take their first lead at 15-13.
MIT extended its run to take a 32-20 lead on a pair of free throws by Prasad with 3:32 left in the half. But Mount Holyoke regrouped and made a 9-0 run of its own to finish the half with a 32-29 deficit, keyed by four points from White and a three by McMichael.
Mount Holyoke cut the deficit to one early in the third quarter before MIT created some distance with eight straight points, including two baskets by Lanouette, for a 12-point advantage.
Lanouette and Prasad both made dagger threes in the fourth quarter to turn 8-point leads into 11, and Lanouette helped ice the win with a pair of free throws that made it 62-47 with 1:40 left in the game.
Mount Holyoke (4-17, 0-7 NEWMAC) will host Springfield College on Wednesday at 7pm.
