MIT Opens Early Lead, Coasts 85-55 Over Salem State

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Led by a 26-point, 17-rebound double-double from junior Ian Hinkley (Raleigh, N.C.), the MIT men's basketball team picked up its second straight win with an 88-58 home victory over Salem State University on Thursday night. Three Vikings finished in double figures in scoring, paced by 18 points from Chris MacDonald (Wakefield, Mass.). Fern Berard (Malden, Mass.) and Jaden Castillo (Lawrence, Mass.) added 10 points each, along with a team-high nine rebounds by Hakeem Animashaun (Dedham, Mass.). Animashaun finished with six points and now sits at 975 career points.  

The Vikings jumped out to an early 8-4 lead with 14:43 left in the first following a layup from Pat Sullivan. The Engineers quickly took their first lead of the game at 9-8 on a dunk by sophomore Cooper Driscoll (Wallingford, Pa.) and pushed the advantage into double digits at 23-13 after a free throw by first-year Matas Masys (Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.).

MIT connected on four straight three-pointers to lead 35-18 with 6:27 on the clock and eventually took the 57-26 advantage into the halftime break. The 31-point lead was made possible by 64.3 percent shooting from three (9-for-14) while forcing 14 Salem State turnovers. MacDonald (Wakefield, Mass.) led the Vikings in that half with 12 points as he connected on 4-of-7 three-point opportunities.

After another Masys three-pointer extended the MIT lead to a game-high 34 points, the Vikings fought back to within 70-47 after an 8-2 run that was capped by a jumper from Berard. The Engineers pushed the lead back out to 30 however and maintained a solid advantage down the stretch to improve to 9-6 overall in the all-time series with the Vikings.

Defensively, MIT forced 22 Salem State turnovers and outrebounded the visitors by a 49-40 margin. The Engineers outshot the Vikings from the field, three-point land and the free throw line as the hosts connected on 16-of-19 from the charity stripe.

(Courtesy MIT Sports Information)