CAMBRIDGE - Senior guard Jessie Ruffner (Rocklin, Calif./Rocklin) scored 16 points to lead four players in double figures as the 14th-ranked Smith College basketball team escaped with a 68-63 win at MIT on Saturday afternoon at Rockwell Cage. 

Smith, which has won its last six games, improves to 20-3 overall and 8-1 in the NEWMAC. MIT drops to 16-7 on the year with a 7-2 mark in conference play. The Pioneers have now recorded six consecutive 20-win seasons. 

Inside the Numbers

• With her 16 points, Ruffner moves up to sixth on the all-time scoring list at Smith. She also grabbed 13 rebounds and added six assists and two steals. 
• Graduate student Sofia Rosa (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln-Sudbury) and first-year Hannah Martin (North Andover, MA/North Andover) both finished with 15 points while Rosa added seven rebounds. Yamada rounded out Smith with 11 points and four assists.
• MIT had a 39-38 edge in rebounds and led the way in bench scoring (10-6). However, the Pioneers had the upper hand in points off turnovers (12-5), points in the paint (40-28), and second-chance points (11-10).

Game Highlights

• Smith jumped out to a 14-6 lead after a three-pointer by Martin at the 6:11 mark. Sparked by a layup from junior Kamsi Nwogu, MIT went on a 12-5 run that brought it within one with 1:32 left. Rosa quickly replied with a layup to give the Pioneers a 21-18 edge at the end of the frame.
• A layup by junior Angie Choi 1:22 into the second quarter was countered by Martin's trey during the visitors' ensuing possession. In a span of 6:29, the Engineers outscored Smith, 12-2, as a jumper by first year April Chan increased MIT's lead to 32-26 with 1:19 on the clock. The Pioneers ended their six-minute scoring drought courtesy of a layup by Maggie Fleming (Downers Grove, IL/Downers Grove) with 31 seconds remaining before halftime.
• A 10-1 run which featured eight straight points by Rosa gave Smith a 38-33 lead at the 4:08 mark of the third quarter. The Engineers tied the game on a layup and three-pointer by Antonakakis on back-to-back possessions. However, a 6-2 burst, all by Ruffner during a two-minute span, gave the Pioneers a 44-40 edge. MIT trimmed its deficit with a free throw by Nwogu with just under one minute left.
• Most of the fourth quarter was a tight affair as the Engineers tied the game three times, the last at 54 on a layup by Antonakakis with 4:36 on the clock. Smith responded with its pivotal 8-2 spurt during the next three minutes as Ally Yamada (Seal Beach, CA/Fairmont Prep Academy) produced the first four points while Rosa scored the final four. With 20 seconds remaining Martin drained two free throws, but seven seconds later Nwogu made a layup, moving the score to 64-58. Martin had another 2-for-2 performance at the charity stripe; however, it was matched by Antonakakis with 10 seconds to go. A foul put Ruffner at the free throw line, where she hit both shots. During MIT's next possession, Antonakakis was fouled while attempting a three-pointer. She went on to make all three shots, resulting in the 68-63 final.

Up Next
Smith's final road game of the regular season takes place on Wednesday, February 14 at Emerson (7:00pm). 

About Smith Athletics: Smith College is a NCAA Division III member of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference that sponsors 11 intercollegiate sports. For more information log on to smithpioneers.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

(Portions of this recap courtesy to MIT Athletics Communications)