CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Senior Jamie Karraker (Morgantown, W. Va.) became the MIT's all-time leading three-point shooter, as the No. 4 Engineers improved to 12-0, the best start in program history, with a 71-47 win over Wheelock College in non-conference men's basketball action Wednesday night. Karraker's trifecta with 4:45 to go gave the senior sharpshooter 232 for his career, breaking the Institute mark previously held by Jimmy Bartolotta '09.
The Cardinal and Gray raced out to an early lead over the Wildcast (3-7), scoring 13 of the game's first 15 points, to take an 11-point advantage just under five minutes in. Wheelock battled back to keep things close throughout most of the half, thanks in part to Bashir Hudson's (Jamaica Plain, Mass.) 11 first-half points.
Hudson's free throw capped a 7-3 spurt to bring Wheelock back within eight, 25-17, with 3:19 left in the period. The Engineers would score the final eight points of the half though to take a 17-point advantage into the break. Karraker and senior Billy Bender (The Woodlands, Texas) canned back-to-back trifectas and junior Mitchell Kates (Colts Neck, N.J.) found freshman Dennis Levene (Weston, Conn.) for a layup in the final seconds.
Tech continued to stretch its lead in the second half, outscoring the Wildcats 11-3 at one point midway through the second, thanks to a pair of three-balls by Karraker surrounding a dunk by freshman Matt Redfield (Los Altos, Calif.).
Karraker finished with a game-high 23 points on seven-of-17 shooting from long distance. Senior Noel Hollingsworth (Salt Lake City, Utah) pitched in 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Bender was also in double figures, with 15 points to go along with six boards, three assists and three steals. Junior Will Tashman (Atherton, Calif.) had a game-high 10 rebounds.
MIT shot 51.7% from the field and made 11-of-26 shots from long range while holding Wheelock to just 22.2% shooting (18-57).
Hudson led Wheelock with 13 points and nine rebounds. Eric Rice (Woburn, Mass.) had six points and Adam Russo (Arlington, Mass.) collected six caroms.
With their 12th straight victory open the 2011-12 campaign, the Engineers established a new high-water mark for consecutive wins at the start of a season, breaking a record set just two seasons ago.
MIT will take a few weeks off for final exams and return to action on January 4, as it hosts Springfield College to begin New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play. Wheelock will also be off until after the new year, as it travels to New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) rival, Newbury College on Saturday, January 7 at 2:00 p.m.