Providence, R.I.—Junior forward Izabelle Booth (Newport, R.I.) scored eight points as the Rhode Island College women's basketball team fell in their season-opener vs. MIT, 61-47, at the Murray Center on Wednesday night.
 
THE BASICS
MIT 61, Rhode Island College 47
MIT (1-0)
Rhode Island College (0-1)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Rhode Island College got off to a slow start to begin the game, scoring its first two points on a freshman forward Angelina Nardolillo (Hinsdale, N.H.) bucket at 4:41 of the first quarter as MIT led by five, 7-2.
 
• The first quarter came to an end thanks to a free throw by MIT freshman forward Kamsi Nwogu (Algonquin, Ill.) to send the visitors into the first intermission up by six, 14-8.
 
• The score flipped in the second quarter when RIC senior guard Abby Phelan (Norton, Mass.) splashed a triple at the buzzer to give the hosts a 14-8 second quarter advantage and a 22-22 tie going into halftime.
 
• The Engineers took a commanding lead in the third quarter thanks to a jump shot from Nwogu at 4:42, to build their advantage out to nine, 33-24. RIC would then go on a 7-0 scoring run, capped off by a layup from senior guard Maire Gallagher (Worcester, Mass.) to cut the MIT lead down to two, 33-31. That would be as close as the hosts would get.
 
• MIT guard Christina Antonakakis (Holmdel, N.J.) owned the fourth stanza as she dazzled her way to 10 of her 28 total points in the final quarter.
 
• Antonkakis finished with a game-high 28 points and five assists.
 
• Booth and junior guard Maci Dorantes (Bristol, Conn.) paced the Anchorwomen with eight points apiece. Booth also registered five rebounds and four takeaways.
 
• Nardolillo pulled down seven boards and put up six points in her collegiate debut.
 
• MIT senior guard Annika Sougstad (Mahtomedi, Minn.) led all players with 12 rebounds and chipped in five points.
 
BY THE NUMBERS
• RIC shot 35 percent (19-for-55) from the field, 35 percent (7-for-20) from three point range and 33 percent (2-for-6) from the free throw line.
 
• MIT converted 35 percent of their field goal attempts (22-for-63), 35 percent from behind the arc (7-for-20) and 71 percent (10-14) from the charity stripe.
 
• MIT won the turnover battle, 26-18, which was ultimately the key to the Engineer's victory.
 
• MIT Head Coach Lucia Robinson-Griggs earned her first victory as a collegiate head coach.
 
• The loss stopped an 11-game win streak for Rhode Island College.
 
 WHAT'S NEXT
In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will play at Endicott on Saturday, Nov. 13 (1 p.m.).