MEN'S BASKETBALL STUNS EMMANUEL IN 88-83 GNAC WIN

Sophomore guard Keith Jones (Boston, MA/Cathedral) went 6-10 from beyond the three point arc netting a game high 33 points to lead the Mount Ida College men's basketball team to an 88-83 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) victory over visiting Emmanuel College in Newton, Massachusetts Tuesday night.  The Mustangs notch their first conference victory of the season and improve to 3-1 overall while the Saints fall to 0-3 on the season, 0-1 in GNAC play.

The first half was a slow and sloppy one on both sides with the hosts holding a small four point margin (10-6) after a made three pointer by sophomore Joe Cabral (Walpole, MA/Walpole) with 14:22 showing on the clock in the first half. 

The visitors took over immediately building a six point advantage (22-16) with 8:48 remaining in the first after a good lay-in by Saint sophomore Eric Spanbauer (Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara Falls).  The Mustangs went ice cold offensively while the visitors constructed a nine point advantage up 28-19 after a lay-up by Emmanuel sophomore Nate Jackson (Middleboro, MA/Middleboro) at the 5:58 mark.

It got worse for Mount Ida who had serious problems rebounding against a very big Saints squad giving the visitors 24 of their 43 points in the first half from the paint.   Emmanuel eventually piled up a 13 point advantage after a Mike Jackson (New York, NY/South Kent School) lay-in heading into the break with the visitors holding a 43-30 lead. 

The start of the second half was maintained by the Saints who eventually built a game high 15 point advantage at the 12:51 mark after a trifecta by freshman Xavier Everson (Rochester, NY/Rush-Henrietta) up 59-44.

Immediately after the Saints took the 15 point lead, the Mustangs woke up their inner beast producing a 15-2 run pulling within one point of the hosts.  An aerial attack from three point land from Jones, Cabral, and sophomore Isiah Benjamin (Windsor, CT/the Masters School) led the comeback for Mount Ida during the run. 

After the visitors answered with a three of their own by Mike Jackson, the Mustangs tied it after two converted lay-ins by senior Darren Martinez (Dorchester, MA/Brookline) making it 64-64 with 7:44 to go in the game.

It remained a neck and neck game for the next three minutes with each team trading consecutive trifecta's with the Mustangs holding a small one point edge after freshman John Figueroa (Hartford, CT/Howell Cheney Tech.) broke the fifth tie of the contest with a good free throw (71-70). 

With an electric crowd and packed house behind them, the Mustangs reeled off a 5-0 run on a lay-in by Martinez and a three by Jones making it 76-70 in favor of the hosts with 3:31 to go in the game.   The visitors would not go quietly cutting the Mount Ida advantage to one for the third time in the past four minutes with 23 seconds to go (84-83).  After a foul by the Saints, Jones came down and drained both free throws to extend the Mustang lead to three (86-88) with 12 seconds remaining.  The visitors drove down the court and launch the game tying three that was back ironed.  A Cabral lay-up with time expiring sealed an 88-83 victory for Mount Ida's first GNAC win of the season.

The Mustangs scored an astounding 58 points making 75 percent of their shots from three point land in the second half.  Although the hosts were drastically outrebounded the visitors (46-36) they never gave up with scrappy defense and an impressive display on offense. 

Mount Ida saw every starter in double figures, led by Jones, with Martinez and Benjamin chipping in 10 points apiece and Martinez dishing out eight assists.  Mustang sophomore Travis Hillery (Tyngsboro, MA/Central Catholic) was solid notching his first double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 caroms.  Cabral also added 13 points going 3-4 from downtown and grabbing five rebounds.

The Saints were led by Everson who had a team high 24 points and eight rebounds while Mike Jackson added 19 points and five rebounds.  Nate Jackson enjoyed a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds. 

The Mustangs are back in action this Friday at the Eastern Nazarene Tournament in Cambridge, Massachusetts starting a 6:00 p.m.