This was a good year for MIT basketball. Both the Men's and Women's teams finished second in their conferences. The men finished with second best record in MIT history (18-7); only 1 win short of tying the record.
Tech started the season with a bang. After defeating the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy by 25 points in the season opener, we went on to defeat Babson College for the first time in 17 years. MIT's first loss was at the hands of Brandeis University; who now employs former MIT coach Wallace Johnson. Tech bounced back to defeat Westfield State University by 12 in one of the most entertaining games of the season. After a big win over WIT, MIT finished 1997 with a loss to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.
MIT started the new year with a loss to Eastern Nazarene College. Tech went on to win the following two games, only to lose to nationally ranked Springfield College. MIT then went on a SIX GAME WINNING STREAK which was snapped by Springfield College. But three days later, MIT defeated Tufts University for the first time ever (first MIT-Tufts game was played in 1971). Tech went on to win it's next four games, but lost to rival Babson College in the final game of the regular season.
At the end of the 1996-'97 season, MIT was picked to finish last in the '97-'98 season. But the regular season ended with MIT and Coast Guard tied for second. A coin toss would make MIT the second seed to Springfiled College.
Many expected MIT to meet Springfield College in the Constitutional Athletic Conference Championship game. Tech suffered a tough loss in the first round of the CAC Tournament by losing to 7th seeded WPI by 2 points. WPI would go on to defeat the 3rd seeded Coast Guard Academy and meet Springfield in the Championship game. Springfield defeated WPI.
MIT finished this season with two NCAA Division III Team Rankings. Tech Ranked 4th in Field Goal Percentage Defense and 13th in Rebound Margin.
Season Leaders
Average Points Kareem Benjamin with 14.3
A special thanks to the following people for all their support this season:
Paul "Twigs" Tanck
Average Rebounds Kareem Benjamin with 9.4
Total Assists Kareem Benjamin with 85 (Honorable Mention to Skip Lucey who had 83)
Total Blocks Godfrey Inniss with 34 (Honorable Mention to Melvin Pullen Jr who had 30 and Kareem Benjamin who had 27)
Total Steals Kareem Benjamin with 44
3 Point Percentage Kareem Benjamin who was 1-1 for 100%.
Made 3 Pointers Charlie Hsu with 50
Free Throw Percentage Charlie Hsu with 81%
Hua Fung Teh
John Fluker
Rahn Hufferstutler
Keith Whalen
The Luceys
The Pullens
The Goodmans
The Andersons
ALL THE FANS!!!