Cambridge, Mass. - January 16, 2016 - Senior guard Josh Downes (East Sandwich, Mass.) recorded a game-best 23 points, but the Springfield College men's basketball team fell to MIT, 73-57, in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action on Saturday afternoon at the Rockwell Cage. 

With the loss, Springfield falls to 4-10 on the season, with a mark of 1-3 in NEWMAC play, while the Engineers improve to 11-3 overall, and 3-1 in the league. MIT was a blistering 27-for-49 (55.%) from the field, as the hosts converted 13 out of 17 chances from three-point range, while the Pride was 26-of-59 (44.1%) from the field in the loss.

Along with 23 points for Downes, the senior posted four rebounds and a steal, while graduate student Quinn McKenna (Litchfield, Conn.) registered nine points, two rebounds, three assists and two steals in the victory. Additionally, Kevin Durkin (Worcester, Mass.), Andy McNulty (West Springfield, Mass.) and Brandon Eckles (East Greenwich, R.I.) each recorded six points on the afternoon.

The Engineers had four players score in double figures, as freshman Bradley Jomard (Paris, France) recorded a team-high 22 points, to go along with six rebounds, three steals and two assists, while senior Justin Pedley (Kennewick, Wash.) posted a double-double, consisting of 16 points and 10 rebounds in the win. 

Springfield started the game 0-for-8 from the field and MIT took advantage by jumping out to a 7-0 lead on a three from Pedley. The Engineers' defense continued to hold the Pride in check, and they increased their lead to 16-4 after a layup by senior Lampros Tsontzos (Amarousion, Greece) seven and a half minutes in.

Springfield made a bid to get back in it, scoring five-straight midway through the half to pull back within seven at 18-11 on a layup by McKenna. It proved to be as close as the Pride would get the rest of the way as MIT answered with six straight to push its advantage to 24-11 on a Jomard lay-in. An offensive rebound and put back by senior Larry Piretra (Oakland, N.J.) had Springfield back within 10 with 6:50 left, but the Engineers outscored the Pride 12-6 the rest of the way to take a 36-21 lead at the half.

Jomard and freshman Adam Jurko (Weston, Fla.) combined to score the first six points of the second half to push the MIT advantage beyond 20 points and the Engineers were never seriously threatened after that. Springfield managed to whittle its deficit down to 11 points with less than seven minutes left when Downes hit a jumper, but MIT held the Pride there and pushed its lead back to 16 points on a pair of free throws by senior Ryan Frankel (New York, N.Y.) with 2:50 left to put the game away.

Up next, Springfield will travel to New London, Conn. on Wednesday, January 20 for another conference battle with Coast Guard. The tip is set for 7 p.m.