SAINTS FALL TO MOUNT IDA, 68-65
Jan. 27, 2011
Despite a double-double from sophomore Xavier Everson, the Emmanuel College men's basketball team dropped a tough, 68-65 contest to Mount Ida College on Thursday night in Newton, Massachusetts. The Mustangs, who fell to the Saints (70-63) in the first match-up of the season back on December 4, 2009, improved to an overall record of 6-11 standing at 3-7 in league play. The Saints dropped their sixth straight loss falling to 4-12 on the year dropping to 3-7 in the GNAC.
The visitors powered an 8-0 run throughout the opening four minutes (16:16) after two consecutive layups by sophomore Xavier Everson (Rochester, NY/Rush Henrietta).
The Mustangs chipped away throughout the next six minutes (10:00) cutting the visitors advantage down to a deuce trailing 16-14 after two successful free throw attempts by junior Keith Jones (Boston, MA/Lake Brantley (FL)/Mass. Bay C.C.).
The visitors poured on a small 6-0 run taking a 23-14 lead with 8:32 left in the half after a successful jumper by Saint junior Andre Fuller (Troy, NY/LaSalle Institute).
Mount Ida would not go away, like a sweat hungry gnat in the middle of summer, cutting the Emmanuel advantage down to three after a good jumper by junior Travis Hillery (Tyngsboro, MA/Central Catholic) down 24-21 with 6:37 remaining.
Following a 6-0 run by the Saints, the Mustangs, who never led in the first half, scored the final five points of the stanza all by junior Isiah Benjamin (Windsor, CT/The Masters School) tying the score at 31-31 heading into the break.
The beginning of the second half went back and forth offensively with the Saints continuing to hold a small edge on the Mustangs up 39-34 capped off on two good free throws by sophomore Michael Mailhot (Norwich, CT/Norwich Free Academy).
Mount Ida held pace with the visitors an eventually a 9-0 run by the hosts gave the Mustangs a commanding 50-46 lead after two good shots from the charity stripe by Benjamin. Solid free throw shooting down the stretch for Mount Ida was their key to victory.
The Mustangs went ahead to take their biggest lead of the game up seven (54-47) following a successful lay-in by sophomore Ashton Johnson (New Haven, CT/Notre Dame) with 7:51 to go in the game.
The visitors would cut the lead back to one point after a 5-0 run and eventually took a two point lead (57-55) after a made trifecta by Mailhot with 5:29 remaining.
Another small run by the Mustangs would give the hosts a six point lead (65-59) at the three minute mark following a three ball from junior transfer David Gibbs (East Hartford, CT/UMASS-Amherst).
The visitors came back and knotted the score at 65-65 after a 6-0 run capped off on a junior Isaiah Duke (Albany, NY/Albany) lay-in with just less than two minutes (1:51) to play. The visitors would not score another basket in the game due to solid defense and excellent free throw shooting by Johnson and Jones to end the game giving Mount Ida a much needed GNAC victory winning 68-65.
The Mustangs were led by three players in double figures; Jones led the Mustangs with 19 points and seven rebounds paired with three assists. Gibbs added 17 points, six rebounds, and six assists while Benjamin added 16 points going 6-8 at the line. Mustang junior captain Joe Cabral (Walpole, MA/Walpole) was again solid on the boards with nine caroms.
The Saints also saw three players in double figures with Duke leading the way with 18 points, six rebounds, and two blocks. Everson notched the games only double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds on an impressive 8-12 shooting. Mailhot chipped in 16 points and three assists.
The Saints will travel to play Lasell College this Saturday at 3:00 p.m.
- Courtesy of Mount Ida Athletics