AMCATS Cruise Past Saints In GNAC Showdown, 90-67

BOSTON, Mass. – Freshman forward Mike Rapoza (Charlton, Mass.) posted a monster double-double of 23 points and 16 rebounds to lead the Anna Maria College men's basketball team past Emmanuel College, 90-67, Tuesday evening in Great Northeast Athletic Conference action at the Jean Yawkey Center. Rapoza was one of five AMCATS to collect double-figures to help his squad improve to 3-10 on the year and 3-3 in GNAC play while the loss drops the Saints to 1-11 and 0-6 and have now dropped nine straight decisions.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Saints jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead behind a jumper by senior center Matt Raine (Miami, Fla.) but unfortunately for the hosts, it was the only lead they held all evening. A Rapoza bucket tied the game at 2-2 and Emmanuel was never able to get on top.

The first half action remained back and forth to a 14-14 score around the 13-minute marker before Anna Maria took the lead for good following a jumper by senior guard David Jean-Louis (Miramar, Fla.) to bump the score to 16-14.

EC sophomore swingman Will Jessup (Westwood, Mass.) drained a pair of free throws with just under seven minutes to play in the half to make it a one-point game at 24-23 but the Saints never got any closer as Anna Maria closed out the half on a 19-2 run to take a solid 43-25 lead into the halftime break.

The AMCATS extended the lead to as much as 31 points in the second half (74-43) and cruised to the 90-67 final.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Anna Maria shot 58.3% from the field on the night compared to the Saints 35.5% showing.

Along with Rapoza, Jean-Louis (13), junior guard Chris Contento (Marshfield, Mass.) (12), junior guard Liam Pickett (Oxford, Mass) (10) and junior forward Kenneth Graham (West Haven, Conn.) (10) all posted double-figures in the win.

Freshman guard Emmett Riddick (Middletown, Conn.) led the Saints in scoring for the third consecutive game, netting 14 points to go along with four assists and two steals.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The AMCATS are back on the road on Thursday, January 12 heading to Northfield, Vt. to take on Norwich University at 7:30 PM. Emmanuel returns to action on Thursday, January 12 when they head to Mount Ida College for a 5:00 PM GNAC tilt.