Cambridge, MA --- Kamsi Nwogu (Algonquin, IL) scored 15 points and three other MIT players finished with 14 points to propel the third-seeded Engineers to a 65-52 victory over sixth-seeded WPI in a NEWMAC Women's Basketball Tournament quarterfinal contest played Wednesday evening inside Rockwell Cage.
MIT, which is ranked fifth in the most recent NCAA Division III Region II rankings, improves to 19-7 overall and advances to Friday's semifinals when they will travel to second-seeded Smith in a 7pm contest. WPI sees its season come to and end with a 13-13 mark.
The first quarter was a period of runs with the hosts recording the first five points of the game before WPI answered back with an 8-0 spurt of their own. The homestanding Engineers countered with nine of the last 11 points of the frame, including seven straight from Angie Choi (Cypress, CA) to lead 14-10 after 10 minutes.
WPI's Adrianna Niles (Tewksbury, MA) netted six of her eight first half points in the second quarter and her 3-pointer with 2:34 to go before intermission brought the guests back to with a point 19-18 but MIT rattled off the final six points of the half, highlighted by a Kamsi Nwogu (Algonquin, IL) putback layup with 22 seconds that ended a possession that saw the hosts corral three offensive rebounds that gave the Cardinal and Gray a 25-18 edge at the break.
MIT turned to Elise Harvey (Wayland, MA), Nwogu in the third quarter and the duo delivered 17 of the hosts 21 points in the frame, including a trio of 3-pointers from Harvey, as they outscored WPI 21-20 in the frame to take a 46-38 advantage into the final frame.
The homestanding Engineers equaled their largest lead of the game at 10 points on consecutive baskets to make it 50-40 less than two minutes into for the fourth quarter. WPI was able to whittle the deficit down to four points twice midway through the final stanza but on both occasions, MIT was able to answer back with buckets on its ensuing possessions to keep the visitors at bay. After WPI had closed it to 54-50, MIT delivered 11 of the game's final 13 points. MIT All-America Christina Antonakakis (Holmdel, NJ) netted nine of her 14 points in the final 10 minutes.
Nwogu was 5-for-8 from the field and was a rebound short of a double-double. Antonakakis, Choi and Harvey each amassed 14 points with Antonakakis doling out three assists and Choi swiping three steals.
Niles posted her second straight double-double, equaling a career-high with 21 points and setting a new career-standard with 15 boards, including 13 off the defensive glass. It was the junior's fourth double-double of the season.
Alice Kelly (Wethersfield, CT) also had a strong game for the visiting Engineers, netting 12 points, grabbing seven rebounds and leading all players with four assists. Fellow senior Shannon Reno (Millbury, MA) was credited with four points and three assists and classmate Ally McMorrow (Quincy, MA) had three points, including one of the baskets to get WPI to with four in the fourth quarter. Rookie Emmy Allyn (Rutland, MA) chipped in with eight points.
In a statistical oddity, both teams shot an identical 22-for-57 (38.6%) from the field and forced 14 turnovers. MIT did have an edge on the glass, out-rebounding WPI 43-32, including 13-7 on the offensive glass but could only muster two more (9-7) second chance points on the night.