AMCATS Even GNAC Record With Win Over Mustangs

Saturday, January 5, 2013 (Newton, Massachusetts) - After holding the lead for most of the first half of play, the Mount Ida College men's basketball team was outscored 37-27 in the second stanza falling 72-62 to visiting Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) foe Anna Maria College Saturday afternoon in Newton, Massachusetts.

The hosting Mustangs built a game-high nine point advantage midway through the first half only to relinquish the advantage heading into the break tied at 35-35. The AMCATS went ahead early in the second frame and would eventually go on to take their second league win of the season.

Mount Ida drops their first contest to open second semester action falling to an overall record of 4-7 still searching for their first conference victory (0-4). The visitors improve to 4-7 for the season and capture their second GNAC win of the year (2-2).

No more than a basket separated the action through the first 10 minutes of play with the hosts leading 17-15 capped on a jumper by freshman guard/forward Cam Walker (New Bedford, MA/New Bedford).

The Mustangs build their advantage to a half-high nine points (26-17) with 8:48 to go before the midway point following a good jumper by senior captain and center Jeffrey McNair (Brockton, MA/Brockton).

Through the next five ticks, Anna Maria would cut the lead down to three points trailing 28-25 after a successful jumper by senior Javier Bristol (Haverhill, MA/Haverhill) with 4:56 to go before the break.

Mount Ida went ahead by seven through the next minute of action capped on a breakaway dunk by Walker taking the 32-25 lead.

Anna Maria chipped away cutting the lead down to one point after a small 7-1 run with less than a minute to go in the first stanza. The teams would eventually head into the locker room with the game knotted at 35-35.

The second half was owned by the visitors building an 11 point lead through the opening five and a half minutes (15:12) up 48-37 following a good trifecta from Anna Maria junior guard Joey Barillo (Dania Beach, FL/Sheridan Hills Christian).

The AMCATS hovered around a double-digit advantage up nine points (45-54) capped on a good lay-in by Bristol with 9:35 to go in the contest.

Mount Ida chipped away through the next three minutes cutting the lead down to three (57-54) following a successful trifecta from sophomore transfer Aaron Kelly (Norwalk, CT/Norwalk) with 7:14 remaining.

The Mustangs struggled to keep pace with the AMCATS falling behind by a couple of baskets down the stretch. Mount Ida would cut the advantage back down to three with less than a minute to go after two good Kelly free throws.

The visitors halted the hosts' final push finishing the contest with a 7-0 run to close out the 72-62 GNAC victory.

The Mustangs were led offensively by Kelly with a team-high 18 points going 4-10 from beyond the arc while sophomore forward Treace Macklin (Brockton, MA/Brockton) recorded a career-high 11 points. Junior Kenny Jean (Dorchester, MA/Brighton) and Walker added 10 points each respectively.

For the visitors, Bristol led all scorers with 21 points and 11 boards notching the games only double-double.

Mount Ida will host GNAC foe Emmanuel College for the second time this season Tuesday evening with game time slated for 6:00 p.m. Anna Maria will host Lasell College in league action the same evening starting at 7:00 p.m.