MEN'S BASKETBALL DROPS TO EASTERN NAZARENE, Otis Thompson leads Mount Ida with 18

The Mount Ida College Men’s Basketball team hosted Eastern Nazarene College last night with the Crusaders taking home the 64-58 victory for the first time ever against the Mustangs. Eastern Nazarene improves their record to 3-4 while Mount Ida drops to 2-5 on the season.

It was a back and forth game, with the Crusaders going into the second half with a 33-28 lead. But the Mustangs came raging back building a 15 point margin around the 7:24 mark in the second stanza. The visitors would not go quietly going on a 24-3 run to take the lead with 2:27 left in the game. The Mustangs had no answer and the Crusaders pulled away to take the victory. Senior guard Jeremy Hueston (Brunswick, MD/Brunswick) hit two big three pointers to tie it at 58-58 and Freshman guard DeAngelo Alston (Columbia, SC/Dreher) would give them the go ahead for the win.

Mount Ida was again led by Junior center Otis Thompson (Gardner, MA/Gardner) who had his second double-double of the season with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks. Freshman power forward Thomas Belton (Springfield, MA/Springfield Central) would chip in 11 with five rebounds. Senior Jimmy Driscoll (Dennis, MA/Dennis-Yarmouth) would enjoy his best game of the year thus far with nine points including a shot clock beater from downtown off the backboard that would fall.

The Mustangs had a tough time from the free throw line going 11-29 overall, shooting a measly 37.9 percent. They would also struggle from the floor where they only made 36percent of their shots. Mount Ida will have their final game of 2007 this Saturday, December 8th, against a tough Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) team in Norwich University. Tip-off will be at 1:00 p.m.