Thursday, January 24, 2013 (Newton, Massachusetts) - Mount Ida College men's basketball sophomore guard Aaron Kelly (Norwalk, CT/Norwalk) connected on his first five three point attempts throughout the first half recording a career-high 29 points in the process. But Kelly and the Mustang efforts were cut short late in the final ticks of the contest relinquishing an 81-77 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) loss to visiting Johnson & Wales University Thursday evening in Newton, Massachusetts.
No more than six points separated the action for the games entirety in a contest that featured eight ties providing a very entertaining match-up from end-to-end. The hosts maintained the advantage for most of the second half in a back-and-forth battle but lost the lead with a minute remaining failing to hit the key go-ahead bucket to cement the comeback.
The Mustangs fall to an overall record of 5-13 dropping their sixth league bid in a row with a GNAC slate of 1-10. The Wildcats improve to a near conference best 9-2 going 10-8 for the season thus far.
Kelly had his best outing yet in a Mount Ida uniform going 7-10 from downtown coming just short of tying alumnus Josh Didick's nine triples in a contest. Kelly also added a game-high five steals proving strong on the defensive side of the ball as well. Senior forward/center Kenny Jean (Dorchester, MA/Brighton) notched a game-high 14 rebounds along with eight points controlling the paint for the Mustangs. Freshman forward Cam Walker (New Bedford, MA/New Bedford) added 14 points, five caroms and three blocks with freshman forward John Fortes (New Bedford, MA/New Bedford) tallying 15 points.
Johnson & Wales saw a team-high 20 point performance from freshman guard Quarry Greenway (Westchester, NY/Archbishop Stepinac) and a game-high 16 rebounds recording the only double-double on the night. Senior guard Dan Barbour (Bridgeport, CT/Nortre Dame of Fairfield) and freshman Tom Garrick, Jr. (Seekonk, MA/St. Andrew's School) recorded 16 points each. Sophomore Jordan Jones (Providence, RI/Classical) added 15 points and eight caroms to aid in the victory.
The Mustangs took a five point lead to start the contest up 13-8 following Kelly's third three point bucket at the 15:43 mark.
The action was extremely tight through the next nine ticks with no more than one possession separating the squads. JWU would chip away ousting the hosts taking over a five point advantage of their own up 33-28 (6:32) following a successful lay-in from Garrick, Jr.
Three straight converted trifectas by Fortes, Kelly and freshman guard Brandon Castro (Dorchester, MA/Arlington) paired with a Walker lay-in knotted the game for the fifth time (43-43) with 2:35 left before heading into the midway point.
Although the Wildcats regained a six point advantage (49-46) with a minute to go, Another Walker lay-up and Kelly's sixth three ball of the game pulled the hosts within one point (49-48) heading into the locker room.
Through the first 4:16 of the second stanza, Johnson & Wales commanded a five point lead capped on a successful attempt from downtown by Jones (56-51).
The action continued to be tight with the visitor's leading by no more than a basket up until the five minute (5:41) mark following a good lay-in by Fortes stretching the lead to three points (72-69).
Despite a four point advantage (75-71)with two minutes remaining in the game, Mount Ida would surrender the lead (78-76) with a minute to go after a successful lay-in by Wildcat junior guard Curtis Lucas (Providence, RI/LaSalle Academy).
The hosts had two opportunities at the end of the contest to knot the action but failed to convert watching JWU sink their free throws to solidify their GNAC win.
Mount Ida men's basketball will travel to GNAC member Suffolk University Saturday evening with tip-off coming at 3:00 p.m. JWU plays the same day in league action heading to Anna Maria College with game time slated for 2:00 p.m.