MIT’s Shooting Snaps Women’s Basketball's Streak, 66-44

BOSTON – Suffolk women's basketball saw its three-game win streak end Thursday night as Christina Antonakaki's near record-setting performance for the Engineers anchored MIT's 66-44 victory at Emerson's Bobbi Brown & Steven Plofker Gym.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 44 | MIT 66 
RECORDS: Suffolk (8-4) | MIT (4-8)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
It was hoop-for-hoop in the opening minutes with Allie Lopes' second triple giving Suffolk its first advantage of the day, 8-5, 2:50 into the action.  

MIT got hot from downtown with four consecutive threes on four straight possessions, three of which came off Christina Antonakaki's hands to take a 20-12 advantage with 3:52 remaining in the first frame.  

More back-and-forth action ended the quarter with the Engineers holding a six-point edge, 27-21, at the end of the first 10 minutes.  

That distance slowly crept to 11 when Antonakaki knocked down her sixth trey of the day at the 3:12 minute mark of the second stanza. Lay-ups from Gabriella DeComo and Allie Lopes ended MIT's scoring streak, but it wouldn't be enough as the visitors scored the final six points of the period to take a 46-33 lead into half. 

With double-digit ground to make-up, the Engineers had other things in mind, using second-chance shots to build a 52-35 cushion 3:38 out of the locker room, which forced Ed Leyden to use his second timeout of the night and quartet. 

The huddle did not prove to help the blue-and-gold as MIT maintained the margin and head into the final frame in front, 58-41.  

Antonakaki's seventh ball from three-point land of the night on the Engineers first possession of the fourth quartet pushed the deficit to 20. That gap stood the remainder of the way with the final 66-44 ending in MIT's favor.  

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Lopes was the only Suffolk player to notch double figures with 10 points with three boards. 
• Hackett had an all-around outing with five blocks, five caroms, three assists and a pair of steals. 
• DiCecco distributed five assists to go along with eight points, and two boards. 
• Emily Welling added eight points and four rebounds. 
• Antonakai's night ended with an game-high 30-points behind a MIT record three-pointers made.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk and MIT renewed, meeting for the first time since 2013-14 and 29th time overall.  

POST-GAME PIC

WHAT'S AHEAD?
Suffolk lifts the lid on its GNAC calendar Saturday, Jan. 11 against Saint Joseph (Conn.) at Emerson's Bobbi Brown & Steven Plofker Gym. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m.