West wins ASG; Irving takes 3-Point Shootout
The NBA reached its unofficial halfway point last Friday with the beginning of All-Star Weekend. Unlike other professional sports, there are multiple events that the players participate in, namely the 3-Point Shootout, the “Shooting Stars” competition, the Skills Challenge, the All-Star game itself, and everyone’s favorite, the Slam Dunk Contest. Some of the biggest names in the league were on full display and there were definitely some surprise winners and losers.
SPORTS SHORT
No. 2 ranked MIT fell in the semifinals round of the NEWMAC tournament to No. 3 Springfield College. William Tashman ’13 led MIT with 19 points and 11 rebounds. After a hard-fought first half with many runs by both teams, the Engineers went into the locker room up 34-30 at halftime. Springfield managed to remain close for the majority of the second half until 6:48 remaining when they tied the game. After regaining the lead, MIT struggled to score for the last five minutes of the game, which would prove to be their undoing. Springfield went on a 12-0 run and beat MIT, 68-60. After losing in the NEWMAC tournament, the Engineers must wait for the NCAA’s selection to see if they earned an at-large bid in the 2013 Men’s Basketball Tournament.
MIT Cheer brings it
For the first time in school history, MIT will be represented at the National Cheerleading Association Cheer Championship against 100 other schools, which will be on national television when it takes place in April. They will be judged based on the difficulty of the routine, perfection of the routine, the technique and stability of the various stunts and maneuvers they will perform, and finally the overall impression of the routine. To be able to compete at the NCA Cheer Championship, a squad must have received a bid from the NCA by either attending an NCA sanctioned Cheer camp and wowing the judges, or submitting a video of a routine and being selected that way.
SPORTS SHORT
After averaging 22.3 points and 16.3 rebounds in three games last week, William Tashman ’13 was named the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for a third time this season. Tashman, who recorded two double-doubles, helped lead MIT to three wins and a share of the NEWMAC regular season title.
Engineers take 6 events out of 7
With day two of the 2013 New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Swimming and Diving championships completed, the MIT men’s team held on to the lead that they had established the day before. The Engineers won six of the seven events, bringing their point total to 750. Springfield College took over the second place spot with 438 points.
SPORTS SHORT
MIT Men’s Basketball defeated Clark University comfortably Monday, 69-44. The Engineers’ last game was postponed due to the snowstorm, and the week off seemed to do them wonders. In a dominant performance, MIT never trailed. Will Tashman ’13 tied a career high for points in a game with 26, and set a new career high for rebounds with 20. He also set an MIT record for most rebounds in a career. The Engineers’ defense was outstanding all game, holding Clark to a lowly shooting percentage of 19 in the first half and 29.5 percent overall. MIT upset nationally ranked #5 WPI 69-60 Wednesday night to pull into a tie for the NEWMAC lead.
NBA All-Star snubs and surprises
This Sunday is the NBA All-Star game, and while most selections were pretty agreed upon, a few were a bit puzzling. Here are the players who, in my opinion, do not deserve spots:
Men’s basketball team wins
With the end of the regular season in sight, the No. 23 MIT men’s basketball team took to the road for the final time in New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference play tonight, taking on a determined Babson College squad. The Engineers started quickly and held a 26-point advantage in the second half before holding off a charge by the Beavers to win their fifth straight game. William Tashman ’13 continued his strong play of late, leading MIT with 17 points.
SPORTS SHORT
In the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) poll that was released on Wednesday afternoon, the MIT women’s track and field team remained ranked 12th in the nation. Since the Jan. 23 ranking, the Engineers have moved up two places from 14th.
Volleyball improves record
The nationally-ranked No. 13 MIT men’s volleyball improved its yearly record to 5-5 after a 2-2 performance at the Golden Flyer Invitational hosted by Nazareth College this past weekend. On Saturday, the Engineers swept No. 11 Medaille College, 25-22, 20-15, 25-20, but fell to Elmira College, 20-25, 25-18, 21-25, 27-25, 15-7. The next day, MIT blanked Southern Vermont College, 27-25, 25-21, 25-19, and then dropped a 28-30, 25-19, 25-22, 21-25, 15-8 decision to No. 5 Nazareth. Paul M. Syta ’14 represented the Cardinal and Gray on the all-tournament team.
2012 summer Olympics highlights
I’m not sure where you were this summer, but from July 27 to August 12, I was glued to my computer/TV for any coverage of the Summer Olympics. In case you missed any important moments, I’ll do my best to highlight some key events of the Games.
A look back at a year of MIT sports
Whenever I go back home over a break and I mention that I write for the sports section of The Tech, people always ask me questions like, “Does MIT have any good athletes?” and “Do the teams ever win games?”
Women’s basketball overtakes Mount Holyoke
The MIT women’s basketball team saw four players reach double-digits in scoring as it defeated Mount Holyoke College, 57-44, in a NEWMAC contest on Saturday. Sabrina M. Drammis ’16 led all scorers with 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds in leading the Engineers (9-11, 5-9 NEWMAC) to their first series sweep of the Lyons. Sophomore Amber Legare paced Mount Holyoke (5-14, 3-11 NEWMAC) with 12 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks.
Baltimore wins first Super Bowl game since 2001
In one of the most memorable Super Bowls in recent history, the “Outage Bowl” wasn’t short on excitement. Although they had a lackluster start, the 49ers picked up intensity in the third quarter after a power outage threw half of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome into darkness. The delay lasted 34 minutes, and it was obvious that the Ravens lost a lot of their momentum during the break. With so many storylines to follow throughout the game (the Harbaugh brothers coaching against each other, Ravens’ linebacker and leader Ray Lewis playing the last game of his Hall of Fame career, San Francisco QB Colin Kaepernick leading the 49ers to the Super Bowl in his first season as a starter), this game will go down as one of the best Super Bowls in the modern era.