MEN'S BASKETBALL GETS FIRST CONFERENCE VICTORY, Sophomore Bruce Cary Has Outstanding Game

The Mount Ida College Men’s Basketball team enjoyed their first Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) victory this past Saturday coming against Norwich University winning 70-60. The Mustangs, who went ahead by as many as 20, took the lead at the 5:17 mark in the first half and never looked back getting some outstanding individual performances in an all around effort.

Bruce Cary (Standish, ME/Bonny Eagle) would light a fire for his team early in the contest giving them the lead and the confidence for the win. Cary would drop in 16 points with six assists and continue to run the floor well for his squad going 4-6 from the three point line.

The Cadets pulled within nine towards the end of the second stanza but Mount Ida iced the game on back-to-back free throw opportunities. Norwich had a tough day all around going 7-27 as a team from downtown and shooting just 28 percent from the floor. Mount Ida had their best game of the season shooting 50 percent from behind the arc and was a force in the paint despite being outsized.

Junior center Otis Thompson (Gardner, MA/Gardner) enjoyed his third double-double of the year with 14 points, 16 boards, and two blocks including a big one against Norwich’s 6-10 center Chris McIver (Holderness, NH/Plymouth Regional). Freshman forward Thomas Belton (Springfield, MA/Springfield Central) has continued to play well scoring a team high 17 points with nine rebounds, grabbing seven offensive boards. Senior guard Jimmy Driscoll (Dennis, MA/Dennis-Yarmouth) would provide a spark off the bench netting seven and nailing a big three late in the second half.

Norwich was led by Senior guard Jerrod Williams (Norwalk, CT/Brien McMahon) who had a game high 22 points. Junior guard Jamel Bedford (Queens, NY/St. John’s Prep) would drop in 12 with 15 boards for his squad.

The Mustangs will be off until the holiday break is over returning to action on January 7, 2008 at Wheelock College. Their next home game will be Tuesday, January 15 against GNAC member Johnson and Wales University.