Senior forward Matt Bennett (Rochester, NH/Spaulding) notched 15 points and 18 boards but it wasn't enough for the Mount Ida College men's basketball team dropping their eighth Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) loss and ninth overall to visiting Emmanuel College, 75-62, this Thursday night in Newton, Massachusetts. The Mustangs fall to 9-9 overall, 3-8 in conference play while the Saints improve to 11-9, 8-5 in the GNAC.
There was not a basket netted in the first 2:41 of the first half showing that is was going to be a tough night offensively The opening of the first half was extremely close with both teams exchanging baskets and Mount Ida holding a small one point advantage at 9-8 after a Dave Santos (Mattapan, MA/Ben Franklin Institute) trifecta. The visitors captured the lead immediately following for the next four minutes with the Saints leading 17-13 at the 10 minute mark.
Mount Ida took over the lead for a short time up by three after two free throws by freshman Johrone Bunch (Meriden, CT/F.T. Maloney) at 23-20. After the fifth tie of the first half, the visitors reclaimed the advantage following a 6-0 run up seven (32-25) after an Isaiah Duke (Albany, NY/Albany) lay-in.
With time expiring, the Mustangs drove down the court after a missed Saints lay-up and launched a three by freshman Joe Cabral (Walpole, MA/Walpole) who was fouled in the process. Cabral only managed to hit one of three sending the hosts into the locker room trailing by three at 32-29.
The second half was a completely different story for Mount Ida struggling to keep the game close. The Mustangs stayed within striking distance for the opening three minutes down three (40-37) after an Emmanuel jumper by junior Mike Jackson (New York, NY/South Kent School).
The Saints started to put a little distance between them and the hosts holding a 10 point lead for the next six minutes. After two good free throws by Jackson, Emmanuel held a 60-50 advantage over the struggling Mustangs. The momentum started to carry with the visitors immediately after Duke slammed one down up 12 at 62-50.
All the air in the Mount Ida sails was sucked out at this point with the opposing bench going ballistic. The Saints pulled away by 17 points after an 11-4 run, giving them a game high 19 point advantage off a lay-in by freshman Andre Fuller (Troy, NY/La Salle Institute) up 73-54. It was all over while Emmanuel rode home with the 75-62 victory, their eighth GNAC win of the season.
Along with Bennett, The Mustangs had two other players in double figures. Junior Darren Martinez (Mattapan, MA/Brookline) chipped in 10 points respectively and three assists while Bunch notched 14 points with three boards.
The Saints were powered by Jackson with a game high 21 points and three steals. Senior forward Mack Spellman (Clinton, NY/Clinton) netted a double-double with 17 points and 10 caroms. Senior Rob Williams-Hinton (Oak Park, MI/Univ. of Detriot Jesuit) added 13 points of his own and seven rebounds.
The Mustangs will travel to St. Joseph's College (ME) this coming Saturday for more GNAC action starting at 3:00 p.m. in Standish, Maine.