The Mount Ida College men's basketball team built a commanding 19-2 advantage in the first nine minutes of the game and never looked back capturing a crucial 93-64 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) victory over visiting Suffolk University Saturday afternoon in Newton, Massachusetts. The Mustangs, who need one more victory to solidify a play-off spot for the second year in a row, snap a two game losing streak and improve to an overall record of 8-14 standing at 5-10 in the conference. The Rams fall to 6-16 for the year and drop a 4-11 GNAC record.
After building the big 19-2 lead to start the game, Mount Ida did not surrender double-digit points from the Rams until the 10 minute mark in the first half following a sophomore Matt Pepdjonovic (Quincy, MA/Boston College HS) dunk with the Rams trailing 25-10.
The Mustangs would eventually pile on the offense going ahead by a half high 18 points after a successful and-1 attempt by junior captain Joe Cabral (Walpole, MA/Walpole) leading 28-10.
The double-digit margin by Mount Ida was not given up and the Mustangs ended up heading into the locker room with a commanding 18 point advantage up 45-27 following a junior Keith Jones (Boston, MA/Lake Brantley (FL)/Mass. Bay C.C.) lay-in at the buzzer.
Mount Ida made it a 25 point lead in the opening two minutes of the second half leading 56-31 after a successful lay-in by junior captain Travis Hillery (Tyngsboro, MA/Central Catholic).
The visitors countered chipping away at the large deficit and eventually chopped the Mustangs lead down to 14 points capped on a senior Mike Fleming (Exeter, NH/Tilton) jumper at the 13:37 mark.
The Mustangs would go back up by 20 points with 11:35 to go in the game following a junior Isiah Benjamin (Windsor, CT/The Masters School) lay-in. With eight minutes to play, the visitors cut the lead back down to 13 points after a sophomore Colin Halpin (Melrose, MA/Boston College HS) lay-up.
That was as close as the Rams would get while they watched the Mustangs build a game high 31 point lead on unconscious shooting capped on a junior Jimmy Wenz (Bayport, NY/Bayport-Blue Point) jumper from the foul line. The Mustangs rode out the final minute and a half for the 93-64 GNAC victory good for their eight overall win of the season.
Mount Ida saw four players in double figures led by Jones with a game high 26 points on 9-22 shooting from the floor adding six boards. Hillery notched the teams' only double-double with 15 points and 11 caroms while Benjamin chipped in 16 points and four steals. Cabral was also outstanding with 14 points and five rebounds going 3-5 from downtown. Junior transfer David Gibbs (East Hartford, CT/The Masters School/UMASS-Amherst) was also impressive with nine points and nine assists.
The visitors saw an extraordinary performance from Pepdjonovic adding a double-double with a team high 24 points and 15 caroms. Halpin chipped in 12 points and five boards as well.
(Story courtesy of Mount Ida College Sports Information)