The Middlebury women's basketball team closed its non-conference slate with a 60-48 loss to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on Tuesday evening.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Three different Engineers tallied buckets across the opening 2:47 to build a 7-3 lead.
• Middlebury answered with a 7-0 run, gaining its first advantage of the contest (10-7) with 5:09 remaining in the quarter. Emma Kirck capped the spurt with a driving layup.
• MIT wrestled the momentum back, scoring seven of the final nine points for a 14-12 edge after 10 minutes. 
• Brianna Lebrun tallied a layup and two charity tosses to push the Engineers' lead to 18-12 with 8:18 remaining in the first half.
• Molly Keaveney and Margot Newman bookended an 8-2 surge with a three-point field goal each, knotting the contest (20-20) at the 3:16 mark.
• Mariam Abdelbarr gave the hosts a 24-23 edge on a driving layup before Keeley Baglio knocked down a shot from the left corner with 44 ticks to go, pushing Middlebury to a 26-24 advantage at the half.
• Middlebury came out energized in the third stanza. A layup by Islay Moore sparked six of the first eight points for the navy and white, establishing a 32-26 score with 8:01 left.
• Olivia Joseph caught fire for the Engineers, posting six points as part of a 14-3 jolt to regain a 40-35 advantage at the 3:31 mark. 
• Both teams struggled to find the cylinder until consecutive free throws by Newman trimmed the deficit to three (42-39) heading into the final 10 minutes.
• MIT opened the fourth quarter with a 9-2 run spanning over four minutes to build a 51-41 lead with 5:54 showing on the clock.
• The Panthers trimmed the lead to eight with 42 seconds to go on back-to-back charity tosses by Newman, but could not get any closer as the Engineers claimed the 60-48 win.

NOTES

• Moore was the lone Panther in double-figures with 11 points alongside five rebounds. It is her 13th game with 10 or more points this season.
• Keaveney added eight points and a career-high seven boards.
• The programs met for the third time.

Middlebury returns to Pepin Gymnasium on Sunday for a matchup with #13 Bates at 1:00 p.m.