Men's Basketball Outruns Mustangs, 75-64

PAXTON, Mass.—Anna Maria College men's basketball juniors Patrick Bradanese (Billerica, Mass.) and Tyler Delorey (Worcester, Mass.) combined for 33 points to lead the AMCATS to a 75-64 win against the Mustangs of Mount Ida College in Wednesday's Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) game.

The win marks the fourth-straight for the AMCATS, who improve to 6-7 overall and 4-2 in GNAC play, while the loss drops the Mustangs to 2-11 overall and 1-6 against league competition. The win also marks the 100th win at Anna Maria for head coach Shawn Conrad. 

Bradanese scored a game-high 17 points, while Delorey finished with a close 16 points. Freshman Youssef Fodaile (Worcester, Mass.) was the only other AMCAT to score in double-figures, tallying 11 points off the bench.

Seniors Michael Gorman (Methuen, Mass.) and Quantez Franklin (South Yarmouth, Mass.) both dished out four assists apiece.

The Mustangs had four players reach double-figures in the scoring column. Freshman John Oliver (North Babylon, N.Y.) scored a team-best 12 points, while Joey DeFillippi (Bristol, Conn.) and Brendan Cunningham (Quincy, Mass.) both finished with 11 points apiece. Kevin Conner (Mansfield, Mass.) rounded out the Mustangs' scoring efforts with 10 points.

The early minutes of the first half saw four lead changes, but the AMCATS settled into a comfortable lead midway through the first half. They took their largest lead of the half, a 16-point advantage, with 2:08 left in the frame. The Mustangs fired back with four unanswered field goals, including two from three-point range, to cut the deficit to six points at 36-30 entering halftime.

The Mustangs used the first three minutes of the second half to come within four points at 38-34, but it was the closest they would come. The AMCATS scored the next five points on a set of free-throws and a three-pointer by Delorey, and quickly opened double-digit window on another Delorey three-point shot.

Anna Maria carried a 56.3 percent effort from the floor (27-48) through the contest, while holding Mount Ida to a 21-for-52 effort (40.4) through two halves. The AMCATS hit five-of-10 from behind the arc, while the Mustangs hit seven in 18 attempts.

The AMCATS held a 35-27 advantage in points in the paint and a 7-5 advantage in points in the paint, but the Mustangs bested their hosts in points off turnovers (15-7) and bench points (26-24).

Anna Maria will be back in action on Saturday when they travel to St. Joseph's for a 3:00 p.m. GNAC game. Mount Ida will play on the same day, hosting Johnson & Wales at 3:00 p.m.