MOUNT IDA MEN'S BASKETBALL

Saturday, January 27, 2018

Regan Gymnasium, Boston, Mass.

FINAL:              SUFFOLK 101, MOUNT IDA 86

BOSTON, Mass. --  Junior Michael Hagopian (Watertown, Mass.) scored 37 points and connected for eight three-pointers as Suffolk shot 55 percent from the field overall in notching a 101-86 Great Northeast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory over Mount Ida Saturday afternoon at Regan Gymnasium.

The host Rams (11-7, 6-3 GNAC) spotted the visiting Mustangs (9-10, 3-7 GNAC) a 12-point lead (29-17) midway through the first half before using a 16-3 run over a four minute stretch to take a 33-32 advantage on an Hagopian three-pointer with 6:59 to play before the break.  Suffolk maintained that one-point edge before scoring 21 of the final 35 points prior to intermission for a 56-48 halftime edge, but Mount Ida opened the second half on a 13-5 run of its own over the first 3:12 of action to forge a 61-61 tie on a three-pointer by senior John Oliver (North Babylon, N.Y.).

Hagopian gave the Rams the lead for good with a jumper on the ensuing possession, as that bucket sparked a 12-2 run in just over four minutes to give Suffolk a 73-63 edge with 12:47 remaining.  The Mustangs crept back to within five with 9:28 to go on a lay-in by senior Joey DeFillippi (Bristol, Conn.), but a pair of Hagopian treys helped the hosts regain a double-digit lead (87-76) with 5:35 to play.  The visitors made it a two-possession game (90-84) with 1:58 to go on an Oliver jumper, but the Rams scored 11 of the game's final 13 points to ice their triumph, as three-pointers by Hagopian and freshman Brendan Mulson (Albany, N.Y.) led that late Suffolk surge.

Mulson added 22 points and nine rebounds in the victory for the Rams, who received a double-double effort of 20 points, 10 assists and three steals from sophomore Thomas Duffy (Fairfield, Conn.).  Sophomore George Grillakis (Lowell, Mass.) chipped in with eight points, five boards and four assists for Suffolk, which received seven points, eight caroms, two assists and a pair of steals from junior Kevin Querusio (Millis, Mass.).  The hosts shot 57 percent from the floor in the opening 20 minutes of play and connected on 34-of-62 attempts from the field overall, as the Rams held a 20-9 scoring advantage at the foul line and canned 13 from behind the arc.

Oliver finished with 29 points (including four three-pointers), three rebounds and a pair of assists in the setback for Mount Ida, which received 17 points and four boards from DeFillippi along with a double-double effort of 14 points and 12 caroms from sophomore Kevin Vanderhorst (Lawrence, Mass.).  Senior Jayson Clark (Austin, Tex.) added eight points and four assists for the Mustangs, who received eight points from senior Errald Jordine (Stamford, Conn.) as well as five points each and a combined eight rebounds from seniors Brendan Cunningham (Quincy, Mass.) and Jacob Sartain (West Palm Beach, Fla.).  The visitors shot 47 percent (33-71) from the field overall and connected for 11 three-pointers, as Mount Ida held a 41-33 rebounding advantage and converted 17 offensive boards into 20 second chance points.

Mount Ida hosts Saint Joseph's (Maine) in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference clash on Tuesday evening at the Athletic Center that tips-off at 6:00 p.m., while Suffolk heads to Paxton, Mass. on Tuesday evening to square off with Anna Maria in a GNAC outing beginning at 7:30 p.m.