Strong Fourth Quarter Powers MIT Past Gulls, 62-49, In Non-Conference Action

BEVERLY, Mass.- The Endicott women's basketball team fell to visiting MIT in non-conference action Thursday night at MacDonald Gymnasium by a score of 62-49 to snap a three-game win streak.

With the loss, the Gulls dropped to 4-3 overall while MIT moved to 5-3 on the season.

After a tied first quarter at 14-all, MIT went on a 6-0 run to begin the second quarter, holding the Gulls at 14 until sophomore guard Hannah Kiernan (Wenham, Mass.) made a jumper in the paint at the 6:03 mark of the second to bring the Gulls back down 20-16 in favor of MIT.

The Engineers led by as much as eight, up 24-16 with 4:50 remaining in the second quarter and outshot the Gulls, 44.4 percent to 32.4 percent in field goals in the half.

Senior forward Maya Ramachandran (Fremont, Calif.) led the floor with eight points in the half, while Gulls' senior guard Kelsey Cuddy (Madison, Conn.), junior forward Sarah Hood (Burlington, Mass.) and Kiernan all chipped in with six points apiece.

The first half featured three lead changes and five tied scores as the Engineers took a 29-27 lead into halftime.

Endicott came out of the break and rallied for a 31-29 lead with 6:59 left in the third quarter on two Hood free throws, before the Engineers put together a 10-0 run over a span of four and a half minutes until Kiernan converted two free throws at 2:16 with the Gulls down 39-33.

A strong fourth quarter propelled the Engineers past the Gulls as MIT outscored the hosts 21-12 in the final 10 minutes of the game. Endicott pulled within reach 49-45 with 4:24 to play, but the Engineers were able to hold on and douse a potential comeback.

 BEYOND THE BOX

• The Gulls' 28.0 percent field goal shooting (21-of-75) was the team's lowest yet this season and fewest points scored.
• Endicott placed two student-athletes in double figures as Hood and Cuddy led the way with 10 points each.
• Cuddy has recorded double-digit points in every game this season to stretch her double-digit scoring streak to seven games.
• Endicott had 12 steals to the Engineers' two and turned the ball over eight times to MIT's 18.
• 17 offensive rebounds is the team's second-highest total so far this season as Hood grabbed six. (24 in the team's 74-60 win over Salve Regina on Tuesday).

FOR THE FOES

• The Engineers placed four student-athletes in double figures as the team shot 51.1 percent (24-of-47) from the field.
• Freshman guard Kara Holinski (Livonia, Mich.) paced the team with 16 points, eight rebounds, and three assists.
• Junior guard Liana Illutzi (East Hanover, N.J.) added 10 points to go with five rebounds, four assists, one steal and two blocks.
• Ramachandran and freshman guard Kristen Ngan (Sudbury, Mass.) both tallied 11 points as Ramachandran led the team in rebounds (nine).

NOTES

• Endicott is 3-1 all-time and 1-1 at home against MIT dating back to the first meeting in 2012.
• The Gulls won 69-65 in the most recent meeting before tonight on Dec. 11, 2014.

 WHAT'S NEXT

The Gulls (4-3, 3-0 CCC) will host Salem St. on Saturday, December 12 at 1:00 p.m., while MIT (5-3, 2-1 NEWMAC) hosts Drew University on Tuesday, December 29 at 1:00 p.m. 

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