Tuesday, January 8, 2013 (Newton, Massachusetts) - Mount Ida College men's basketball freshman forward Cam Walker (New Bedford, MA/New Bedford) scored a season-high 23 points on 9-15 shooting leading the Mustangs to their first Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) victory of the season over visiting Emmanuel College Tuesday evening in Newton, Massachusetts. The hosts, who had lost their first match-up against the Saints through first semester action, come out of top evening the season series to 1-1.
The Mustangs improve to an overall record of 5-7 with a 1-4 league slate while the visitors fall to 2-9 for the year, 2-2 in conference action.
Mount Ida built a half-high 12 point lead through the first eight and a half minutes of play up 21-9 following a successful free throw attempt by host sophomore guard and transfer Aaron Kelly (Norwalk, CT/Norwalk). Kelly wasn't far behind Walker scoring 19 points for the day on 7-16 shooting going 2-6 from downtown adding five assists respectively.
The hosts went cold offensively immediately following with Emmanuel riding a 13-2 run cutting the Mustang advantage down to one point (23-22) with 5:57 to go before the break after two good shots from the charity stripe by junior guard Josh Welles (Philadelphia, PA/Central).
The Saints surge did not last long with Mount Ida going on an 11-2 run through the next five minutes capped on a good trifecta by host freshman guard/forward John Fortes (New Bedford, MA/New Bedford) leading 36-24.
Emmanuel scored the final basket of the half on a successful lay-in by junior forward Theo Robinson (Springfield, MA/Sci-Tech) heading into the locker room with the Mustangs holding a 36-26 advantage.
The first seven minutes of play in the second stanza was owned by Mount Ida building a game-high 18 point lead on a half opening 20-12 run leading 56-38 following a three point play the hard way by Walker.
The Mustangs held Emmanuel at arm's length up until the eight minute mark hovering around a double-digit advantage up 62-51.
The Saints would not go quietly chipping away at Mount Ida's lead eventually pulling within four points (68-64) after an old fashioned three point play by EC senior guard/forward and Captain Xavier Everson (Rochester, NY/Rush-Henrietta).
That's as close as the visitors would get with the Mustangs closing out their first GNAC victory of the season winning 77-70.
Mount Ida was impressive offensively shooting 48.4 percent from the floor and 41 percent from downtown. The visitors weren't far behind shooting 47.2 percent from the floor on the evening respectively.
Along with strong individual performances for the hosts from Walker and Kelly, Fortes would add 16 points on 7-14 shooting and two blocks. Senior point guard and Captain Brett Heimann (Miami, FL/LaSalle) notched a game-high eight assists going 2-3 from beyond the arc with eight points as well.
Everson led the charge for the visitors with 18 points and 10 rebounds for the games only double-double while Robinson added 17 points and eight caroms. Welles was 4-9 from the floor with 11 points and three boards.
Mount Ida men's hoops will host GNAC foe Emerson College in a double dip with the women's team starting at 7:00 p.m. The visitors will host league member Lasell College the same night with tip-off at 7:00 p.m. as well.