MEN'S BASKETBALL TAKES SECOND GNAC WIN AGAINST DANIEL WEBSTER, Matt Bennett nets 27

Matt Bennett (Rochester, NH/St. Lawrence University) knocked down a game high 27 points and Thomas Belton (Springfield, MA/Springfield Central) added a double- double of 23 points and 11 rebounds guiding Mount Ida past host Daniel Webster, 89-82 in a physical GNAC men's basketball match-up Thursday night.

It was the third straight win for the Mustangs (5-5, 2-1 GNAC), while the Eagles (3-6, 1-2 GNAC) dropped their third straight. The game, which saw nine ties and six lead changes, also marked the first ever meeting between the two programs.

The teams exchanged baskets almost the entire first half of the contest with the hosts eventually pulling ahead by 13 with 2:44 until the break. The Mustangs would eventually chip away at the deficit to narrow the lead and pull within five points at the half down 48-43. Mount Ida struggled from the floor and behind the arc in the first stanza shooting 36 percent inside and 16 percent from downtown.

The Eagles would maintain their lead in the second half up to the 12:21 mark. But Bennett would drive to the basket and drop in a lay-up getting fouled on the way making it a three point play the hard way giving his team the two point advantage and the momentum.

Daniel Webster would tie the game once more at 64-64 but the Mustangs would end up pulling away making it a five point lead when Senior Michael Dunham (Salem, NH/Salem) drained a triple making it 70-65 with 8:53 to go. The Eagles would pull back within one point around 7:43 but Mount Ida would stay collective with some solid free throw shooting by Bennett and Senior Jimmy Driscoll (Dennis, MA/Dennis-Yarmouth Regional) to ice the lead giving the Eagles no chance to get back into it.

The Mustangs would have a solid second half from the floor shooting 55 percent going 15-27 while Webster was dreadful shooting only 33 percent. Although Mount Ida struggled in the first half, their inside game in the second was dominant with Bennett and Belton cleaning up underneath the basket.

Junior center Otis Thompson (Gardner, MA/Gardner) would drop in nine points with five rebounds while Driscoll and Sophomore guard Bruce Cary (Standish, ME/Bonny Eagle) would net eight points a piece.

The Mustangs will ride their three game winning streak and travel to a tough GNAC opponent in Emmanuel College this Saturday with tip-off beginning at 3:00 p.m.