NEWTON, Mass. – In their final game of 2016, Mount Ida College ran their winning streak to four games with a 78-58 win over visiting Wentworth Institute in non-conference men's basketball action on Monday evening at Mount Ida Athletic Center.
The Mustangs (6-4) shot over 50% from behind the three-point line for the third straight game and hit double-digit three-pointers for the fourth time this season.
Long range shooting was what keyed Mount Ida's comeback from a double-digit deficit that Wentworth (2-6) handed them early in the first half. Trailing by ten midway through the first half, Mount Ida went on a 9-0 run to cut the Wentworth lead to one point and finished the half on an 18-3 spurt to take a 32-27 lead at the break that they would not relinquish.
After starting the half 0-4 from behind the three-point line, the Mustangs hit seven consecutive three-pointers, accounting for their final seven baskets of the first half.
Errald Jordine (Stamford, Conn.) was 4-4 from long range and led the Mustangs with 16 points, one of four players in double-figures. Jayson Clark (Austin, Texas) added 14 points and a game-high seven assists.
The Leopards were led by junior Jason Ganley (Northbridge, Mass.), who filled the stat-sheet with a double-double (13 points, 13 rebounds) and four assists and a steal. The other Leopard in double figures was Dan DeVaux (Wethersfield, Conn.), with 13 points, while Ben Kizel (Short Hills, N.J.) and Matt Vartanian (Salem, N.H.) had eight points apiece and Kizel and Sam Knollmeyer (Hampton, N.H.) co-led the squad with five assists apiece.
Mustang junior Kevin Conner (Mansfield, Mass.) also shot well from downtown (3-7) en route to a 13 point, 3 assist performance and Joey DeFillippi (Bristol, Conn.) added 11 points, three assists and two steals as the Mustangs racked up 23 assists and eight steals in the win. DeFillippi and Dennis Ross (Portland, Maine) also had a team-high five rebounds each, and Ross had six points and four assists off the bench.
Clark had ten points in the first half, while DeVaux led the Leopards with 11 points in the first twenty minutes.
The Mustangs won't have too long to wait after the New Year's break to get back to work, as they will host Johnson & Wales on January 5th at 6:00 pm in a pivotal Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) contest.
Wentworth heads for warmer climates after Christmas, with a matchup against DePauw at the Tampa Bay Shootout set for Thursday, December 29th at 5:00 PM.