CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Mount Ida College led for most of the first 25 minutes of their non-conference men's basketball game on Tuesday evening, but a 13-3 run in the middle of the second half by host Pine Manor College gave the Gators the lead for good as they handed the Mustangs a 90-79 defeat.
The loss was the first of the year for the Mustangs, who won their home opener on Saturday and even their record at 1-1, while Pine Manor improves to 2-0 on the young season.
Mount Ida was led by 15 points apiece from Errald Jordine (Stamford, Conn.) and Ethan Dujon (Warwick, R.I.), while sophomore John Oliver (N. Babylon, N.Y.) scored 14 points.
For the Gators, Taverick Roberson (Pittsfield, Mass.) scored a game-high 31 points on 10-18 shooting, including 2-4 from behind the three-point line and 9-10 from the charity stripe. Roberson also dished out a team-high five assists.
The Mustangs took a 14-5 lead on a three-pointer by Oliver and clung to an advantage throughout the first half, though the Gators had cut it to a one-point lead by the break, thanks to a free throw and layup by Erick Rosario (Lynn, Mass.), who had nine points, four assists and four steals in the win.
The teams traded leads nine times in the first six minutes of the second half, but, with Mount Ida leading 52-50 after layups by Dujon and Jordine, the Gators began their 13-3 spurt with a Roberson layup, and took a 57-52 lead on a steal and three-point play by Jamel Hamans (Meriden, Conn.).
Though Mount Ida would cut the deficit back to two points, they could not complete the comeback, and a 9-0 run in the final 7:42 put the Gators back up by double-digits.
Another balanced attack for the Mustangs saw Patrick McKearney (Avon, Conn.) score ten points, and Joey DeFillippi (Bristol, Conn.) match that offensive production, while grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out five assists.
Jayson Clark (Austin, Texas) had seven points and four dimes, and freshman Sidney Limage (Randolph, Mass.) poured in eight points.
Ellis Reid (Hartford, Conn.) had 12 points, while Curtis Hyman (New Britain, Conn.) recorded a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds for Pine Manor.
Mount Ida heads to New London, Connecticut for the Connecticut College Tournament this weekend. The Mustangs will begin their tournament trip against Newbury on Friday at 8:00 pm.
Pine Manor hits the road for a trip to the Rivier Tip-Off Tournament, starting with a game against the host Raiders on Friday at 6:00 pm.