Cambridge, MA --- Behind a second consecutive double-double from Justin Molen (Newark, DE), WPI outlasted MIT 70-65 in a back-and-forth NEWMAC men's basketball matchup at Rockwell Cage on Saturday afternoon. Molen finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds, anchoring the Crimson and Gray on both ends of the floor as WPI overcame 14 lead changes and used late free throws to secure the road victory.
 
With the triumph, WPI improves to 19-4 overall and 12-2 in NEWMAC play, while MIT falls to 6-17 overall and 2-12 in conference action. 
 
Molen, the reigning NEWMAC Offensive Athlete of the Week, filled the stat columns with team-bests in points, rebounds, assists (4), blocks (3) and steals (3).  The junior forward shot 9-of-12 from the free throw line.  Matt Morvillo (Bedford, MA) contributed 11 points, including a pair of first-half three-pointers, while J.R. Newman (Havertown, PA) and Tim Reidy (Needham, MA) each added 10.  Nicholas Margetson (Baldwin, NY) chipped in eight points and grabbed a career-best 10 rebounds and Nathan Bledsoe (San Antonio, TX) dodged foul trouble to add eight points as WPI scored 24 points in the paint and 19 off turnovers.

Isaac Dobie (Kitty Hawk, NC) led MIT with a game-high 28 points, shooting 10-for-19 from the field and 6-for-13 from three. Parker Spann (Omaha, NE) added 15 points and five rebounds, and Michael Zhang (Jacksonville, FL) contributed 10 points as the hosts shot 41.6% percent overall and 40.6% percent from beyond the arc but were limited to just 6-of-11 from the charity stripe and only forced nine WPI turnovers leading to just three points.
 
The hosts seized early control midway through the first half, building a 9-point advantage at 18-9 following a three-pointer from Wyatt Mowery (Winston-Salem, NC) with 10:46 remaining. The hosts capitalized on WPI's early shooting struggles and shot 48 percent in the opening period, including five three-pointers.  WPI gradually chipped away behind defensive pressure and transition opportunities. After trimming the deficit to one late in the half, the Engineers seized momentum in the closing seconds. Following a Margetson steal with four seconds left, Molen secured an offensive rebound and converted a tip-in at the buzzer to give WPI a 33-32 halftime lead which was its first advantage since the opening minutes.

Worcester's Engineers carried that energy into the second half, opening on a quick 7-0 spurt capped by a Molen three-pointer at the 17:23 mark that pushed the lead to 40-32, WPI's largest of the afternoon.  MIT responded with a surge of its own behind Dobie, who connected on back-to-back threes to reclaim a 45-44 lead with 9:45 to play. The contest remained razor-tight from there, tied at 50-50 with 7:24 remaining.
 
The decisive stretch came over the final four minutes. After Spann gave MIT a 56-55 lead with 4:26 left, WPI answered with defensive stops and baskets in transition  A Margetson fastbreak jumper at 3:38 restored the lead, and the guests converted eight free throws in the final 29 seconds - including four Reidy - to offset a pair of late Dobie three-pointers and secure the 70-65 victory.
 
WPI returns to action on Wednesday when the Engineers travel to Springfield for a 7pm NEWMAC matchup. MIT heads back to Cambridge to host Babson on Wednesday at 7:30pm in conference play.