BABSON PARK, Mass.—Junior Nate Amado (Hanson, Mass.) scored a game-high 23 points and Babson College closed the game on an 11-3 run to defeat visiting MIT, 64-57, in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) men's basketball action on Saturday afternoon inside Staake Gymnasium. 

Babson, which snapped a four-game losing streak, improves to 6-7 overall and 2-2 in conference play. MIT has dropped four straight games and dips to 2-11 overall and 1-3 in the NEWMAC. 

Junior Aidan Horan (Orchard Park, N.Y.) finished with season highs of 13 points and six rebounds, while first-year Jared Flaks (West Hartford, Conn.) added nine points, all in the first half, for the Beavers. Sophomore Tyler Lauder (Malvern, Pa.) chipped in with eight points and a season-high 10 boards and graduate student Steph Baxter (Worcester, Mass.) also scored eight points in the victory. 

First-year Merlin Gogolin (New York, N.Y.) finished with 14 points and five assists, while sophomore Tim Minicozzi (Belmont, Mass.) scored 12 points and grabbed a team-high nine rebounds to pace the Engineers. 

The Green and White hit just two of its first nine shots and trailed 11-4 after a four-point play by first-year Isaac Dobie (Kitty Hawk, N.C.) with 15:19 to go in the first half. Back-to-back three-pointers by Baxter and Amado put the hosts in front 17-16 at the 9:44 mark, but MIT used a 9-4 spurt that included five points from Goglin to regain a 29-28 edge at the half. 

There were two ties and five lead changes over the first seven minutes of the second half before Horan stuck a three-pointer and followed it up by converting a layup in transition to give the Beavers a 41-37 lead with 13:53 to play. The Engineers responded with an 8-2 burst to go back in front 45-43 with 10:22 remaining but a free throw by junior David Cross (Cinnaminson, N.J.) broke a 49-49 deadlock a two more free throws by Baxter extended the margin to three with 6:14 left. 

Dobie scored on two of the next three MIT possessions to give the visitors a 55-54 advantage with 2:40 to go. Amado answered right back with a three-pointer and Horan went 2-of-2 at the charity stripe to push the Babson lead to 59-55 with 1:33 remaining. The Engineers got as close as three on a bucket by Minicozzi with 1:09 to play but Amado made a pair of free throws and converted a breakaway layup over the final 40 seconds for the final margin. 

The Beavers shot 37.3 percent from the floor and finished with a slim 41-39 edge on the glass in addition to forcing 18 turnovers. MIT shot just 36.2 percent in the loss. 

Both teams return to action on Tuesday as Babson travels to Springfield at 12 p.m., while MIT visits Coast Guard at 7 p.m. 

GAME NOTES
•    The Beavers are now 61-25 all-time against MIT and have won six in a row in the series. 
•    Ten of the last 14 games between the teams have been decided by seven points or less or in overtime.
•    Babson is now 6-1 this season and has won 31 of 34 games over the last three years when outrebounding its foes. 
•    The Beavers attempted a season-high 24 free throws and outscored their opponents at the line for the second game in a row. 
•    Babson is 4-1 this winter when allowing fewer than 65 points.