Tuesday, February 12, 2013 (Newton, Massachusetts) - Trailing by 17 at the midway point, the Mount Ida College men's basketball team cut visiting Suffolk University's lead down to one point (51-50) at the 13 minute mark in the second half only to see their hopes for a comeback vanish surrendering a 78-65 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) loss to the Rams Tuesday evening in Newton, Massachusetts on senior day.
Prior to tip-off, the Mount Ida College Athletic Department and 22nd year Head Rico Cabral recognized senior's Jeffrey McNair (Brockton, MA/Brockton) and Brett Heimann (Miami, FL/Lasell College) for their contributions to the program though their tenure's as Mustangs.
The Mount Ida Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), led by men's soccer Head Coach and Assistant Athletic Director Joseph Campbell, handed out raffle tickets for any fan wearing green to the game for a chance to win a basket full of novelties that was awarded at half time. The prize was handed off by SAAC President and women's lacrosse player Kayla Bravo (East Providence, RI/East Providence) and Vice President and women's volleyball Captain Jennifer Ferreira (Shirley, MA/Ayer).
The hosts fall to an overall record of 7-17 going 3-14 in GNAC action dropping their third league bid in a row. Mount Ida will play in their final game of the season with play-off hopes out of reach traveling to Anna Maria College this Saturday with game time slated for 3:00 p.m. Suffolk improves to 9-14 for the year snapping a two-game losing streak sliding into the sixth spot in the GNAC standings due for post-season play with a conference slate of 7-9. The Rams have two contests remaining and will travel to league foe Emerson College Thursday evening with tip-off coming at 7:00 p.m.
Mount Ida was led offensively by freshman forward John Fortes (New Bedford, MA/New Bedford) recording a team-high 21 points on 9-19 shooting from the floor and 3-6 from downtown. Junior forward/center Kenny Jean (Dorchester, MA/Brighton) had another strong outing with 15 points and eight caroms while freshman forward Cam Walker (New Bedford, MA/New Bedford) tallied 10 points. Primary distributors Heimann and freshman Brandon Castro (Dorchester, MA/Arlington) combined for 12 assists.
Suffolk saw a game-high 22 points on 8-17 shooting from senior guard Chris Torres (Brockton, MA/Brockton) also adding eight rebounds. Senior forward Matt Pepdjonovic (Quincy, MA/Boston College HS), who leads the conference in boards per game (10.1), pulled down an impressive 19 rebounds along with 16 points. Freshman guard Caleb Unni (Winchester, MA/Tilton) notched 14 points and four assists respectively.
After exchanging baskets through the first couple of minutes, the visitors stretched the margin to eight points following a successful trifecta from senior Colin Halpin (Melrose, MA/Boston College HS) at the 15 minute mark.
Mount Ida chipped away evening cutting the Rams advantage down to one point (20-19) with nine minutes remaining in the opening stanza (9:22) capped on a good three pointer from Fortes.
The host's offense went cold through the next six minutes while the visitors surged ahead opening up a 15 point lead with 2:16 left before the break up 41-26 following a Torres lay-in. Suffolk would round of the first half with all the momentum ahead by a game-high 17 points. 26 of Suffolk's 41 first half baskets came in the paint controlling underneath for most of the stanza.
The double digit advantage continued for the Rams leading 47-36 through the opening four minutes (16:22) of the second frame after a successful lay-up by freshman guard Adam Chick (Northbrook, IL/Glenbrook North).
A 9-2 run by the Mustangs ensued cutting the Suffolk lead down to one point (51-50) at the 13 minute mark capped on another good trifecta by Fortes.
The Rams fought back inflating their advantage to an arm's length for the ladder part of the final half up 68-59 with 3:39 left after a good free throw from Pepdjonovic.
Suffolk finalized a 10-4 run to close out the action handing Mount Ida their 13th GNAC loss of the season falling by a score of 78-65.