NEWTON, Mass. – Mount Ida College expects to get contributions from across their roster throughout this year's men's basketball season, and they did just that in a 97-86 opening day win over New England College on Saturday afternoon at Mount Ida Athletic Center.
The Mustangs had six players score in double-figures, won the rebounding and turnover battles, and shot 43.6% from the floor to open their season with a win.
John Oliver (North Babylon, N.Y.) and Ethan Dujon (Warwick, R.I.) led the Mustangs with 18 points apiece, sophomore Patrick McKearney (Avon, Conn.) turned in a double-double, and Jayson Clark (Austin, Texas) dished out nine assists and had a game-high four steals, while just missing a double-double himself with his 14 points.
The Mustangs jumped out to a 13-6 lead, but CJ Capilets (Hauppauge, N.Y.) scored 12 straight points, including hitting three triples, and the Pilgrims tied the game at 19 with eleven minutes left in the first half.
Capilets led the way with 25 points, 21 of them in the first half, while Dezron Wilson (Nashua, N.H.) was the other workhorse for NEC, compiling 24 points, 16 of them in the second half.
New England College got their noses back in front when Capilets hit a three-pointer with 6:40 to play to tie the game at 32 and Shannon Murray (Kingston, Jamaica) made a pair of free throws. To jump-start a 12-4 run that included five points from Jake Vickery (East Hampton, Conn.).
Mount Ida turned the tide with a layup and then a three-pointer from Oliver that got them in front 43-42, and they ended the half on an 18-2 run, with Joey DeFillippi (Bristol, Conn.) nailing a three-pointer in the final seconds to extend the lead to 12 points at the break.
The Mustangs never trailed in the second half, with Dujon contributing 10 points, and his layup putting the Mustangs up by 23, their biggest lead, with 8:29 left to play.
Kevin Conner (Mansfield, Mass.) turned in 15 points for the Mustangs, while DeFillippi added 11 points, four assists and two steals. Oliver and Jesse Nelson (Hopatcong, N.J.) had six rebounds apiece, with Nelson adding 7 points in the win.
For the visitors, Dondre James (Whitman, Mass.) had eight caroms, but the Pilgrims found themselves out rebounded 47-40 by Mount Ida. James and Jack Hostetler (Somers, Conn.) had six points apiece, Ricky Leonard (Windsor, Conn.) added seven points, and Wilson led the team with three dimes.
New England College turned the ball over 31 times and Mount Ida had 13 steals.
Mount Ida hits the road for the first time this season on Tuesday evening, but it will be a short trip to Pine Manor College for a 5:30 pm tip-off.
The Pilgrims will look for their first win of the season when they play their home opener on Monday evening at 7:00 pm against Lesley.