CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Sixth-ranked MIT scored the game's first 10 points and cruised to an 80-55 win over visiting Coast Guard Academy in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) men's basketball action Saturday afternoon in Rockwell Cage. With the win, the Engineers improve to 18-1 and 6-1 in league play. The Bears fall to 7-10 and are 1-6 in the NEWMAC.

Junior Mitchell Kates (Colts Neck, N.J.) and senior Noel Hollingsworth (Salt Lake City, Utah) led the way for Tech, with Kates scoring 21 points to go along with four assists. Hollingsworth picked up a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Senior Jamie Karraker (Morgantown W. Va.) connected on five shots from three-point range for 15 points.

David Anderson (Goose Creek, S.C.) was Coast Guard's leading scorer with 12 points while junior captain Greg Marshall (Gaithersburg, Md.) was also in double-figures with 10.

The Cardinal and Gray limited the Bears to just 30.5% shooting from the field while forcing 15 turnovers. MIT also had a 47-29 advantage on the glass.

Kates found Karraker on the wing for a three-ball right off the opening tip, giving the Engineers a lead they would not relinquish the rest of the afternoon. Kates knocked down one of his five trifectas and Hollingsworth and junior Will Tashman (Atherton, Calif.) added buckets during the opening 10-0 spurt.

Coast Guard would cut into the deficit over the next two and a half minutes, getting as close as three points, 14-11, following a Trip Fernandes (Branford, Conn.) three-pointer at the 14:31 mark. The hosts would respond, however, with a 12-3 run to stretch the lead back into double-digits. Coast Guard would get no closer than seven the rest of the way, as MIT swept the season series with the Bears for second time in three seasons.

Both teams will continue with NEWMAC play on Wednesday, February 1 with a pair of road games. MIT will travel to Wheaton College for a 7:00 p.m. start. Coast Guard plays at Springfield College at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday.