News Release

Worcester, MA — The number six seeded MIT Engineers upset the number three seed Clark University Cougars in a New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Men’s Championship quarterfinal game 79-69. MIT, who shot 63.3 percent from the floor and 71.4 percent from long range (5-for-7) in the first half, led by as many 21 points with less than eight minutes to go in the first stanza. Sophomore Mike D’Auria (Newton, MA/Newton South) led MIT with 15 first-half points and junior Adam Gibbons (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan) added 12 points including 3-of-3 from long range. The Cougars cut the Engineers lead to 13 heading into the locker room. MIT pushed the lead back to 20 points on senior Andrew Tsai’s (Pittsburgh, PA/Fox Chapel) at the 19:00 minute mark in the second half. The Cougars then went on 16-5 run over the next eight minutes to cut the Engineers’ lead to 58-49. D’Auria connected on two free-throws to push the lead back to 13-points but Clark clawed back again and senior Dave McNamara’s (Worcester, MA/Worcester Academy) layup cut the lead to seven with less than seven minutes to play. At 2:51 to play in the game McNamara hit a three to cut MIT’s lead to nine but D’uria answered with a three to give the Engineers a 70-58 lead with 2:34 to play in the game. The Engineers went 9-for-12 from the free-throw line in the last two minutes to secure the upset and a 79-69 win. MIT ended the game shooting 56.0 percent from the floor and 53.3 percent from long range (8-for-15). They held the Cougars to 4-of-27 from behind the arc (14.8%). MIT’s Auria ended the game with a team-high 22 points and Tsai chipped in 19 points including 3-for-4 from behind the arc. Gibbons went 3-of-5 from behind the arc and ended with 16 points, four rebounds and three assists for MIT, who improved to 14-12. Clark’s senior Tim Dutille (Lebanon, NH/Lebanon) led all scored with 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to record a double-double. McNamara added 21 points and five rebounds while senior James Collins (Worcester, MA/Holy Name) had 10 points and eight rebounds for Clark. Clark ended the season 13-12. MIT will play the winner of the Babson College/Coast Guard quarterfinal game in the NEWMAC Championship semifinals at WPI on Friday, February 27 at 5:30 pm..