Saturday, February 11, 2012 (Newton, Massachusetts) - The Mount Ida College men's basketball team led through the opening seven minutes of the contest only to fall behind by 11 points at halftime that became a game-high 24 point lead for visiting Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) member Johnson & Wales University handing the hosts a 74-58 loss Saturday afternoon. 

The Mustangs struggled shooting from the floor at 34 percent and only 16 percent from beyond the arc only converting two out of 12 attempts from downtown.  The visitors saw an impressive individual performance from the country's leading scorer senior Lamonte Thomas (Providence, RI/The Met School) notching more than half his team's points with 42 for the day on 14-31 shooting converting three trifecta's as well. 

The Mount Ida College Athletic Department recognized four senior's before the contest honoring Joe Cabral (Walpole, MA/Walpole), Keith Jones (Boston, MA/Lake Brantley (FL)/Massachusetts Bay Community College), Isiah Benjamin (Windsor, CT/The Masters School) and Travis Hillery (Tyngsboro, MA/Central Catholic) for their contributions to the men's basketball program throughout the careers.

Hillery led the Mustangs offensively with one of two double-doubles adding 15 points and 10 boards while junior center Jeffrey McNair (Brockton, MA/Brockton) tallied 11 points and 12 caroms for the other.  Benjamin recorded 12 points and three dishes with Cabral added eight points and three boards respectively. 

Behind Thomas's impressive performance the Wildcats saw nine points and six boards from senior guard Mike Harris (Providence, RI/University of Rhode Island).  Junior forward David Storti (Exeter, RI/C.C.R.I.) pulled down 11 boards as well.

The Mustangs will travel to league member Suffolk University Tuesday evening in Boston, Massachusetts with game time slated for 7:30 p.m.