NEWTON, Mass. – Freshman Angelique Martinez (Taunton, Mass.) recorded a double-double but Mount Ida was forced into 30 turnovers by the strong defensive effort of Emmanuel, who captured a 73-34 victory in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) women's basketball action at Mount Ida Athletic Center on Saturday afternoon.
Martinez scored 14 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season, while twelve different players scored for the balanced Emmanuel attack.
Emmanuel scored the first 12 points of the second half to race out to a 41-15 lead after both teams struggled in the first half with ball control, combining for 28 turnovers.
Jennifer Bujnowski (Salem, N.H.) and Jen Chalk (Horseheads, N.Y.) both came off the bench to lead Emmanuel (11-6, 3-0 GNAC) with eleven points apiece.
Mount Ida (3-13, 0-2 GNAC) shot just 2-19 from the field in the first half, getting most of their points at the charity stripe, where they were 11-12 before the break and where they finished the game 18-for-21 (85.7%).
A 15-0 run in the middle of the first half for the Saints helped them open up their lead to 23-5. That run included a nearly four minute stretch of basketball in which the teams were stuck at an 18-5 score, but the teams went to the break with the visitors ahead 29-15.
Martinez and Bujnowski had seven points apiece to lead their respective teams in the first half.
Senior Abbey Fedigan (New Fairfield, Conn.) and junior Jenn Rafuse (Brockton, Mass.) poured in eight points each in the game for Mount Ida, and Fedigan added six rebounds and two steals.
Junior Vanessa Bramante (Stoneham, Mass.) had four of Emmanuel's 16 steals, while sophomore guard Devin Raugh (Collegeville, Pa.) led all players with six assists and Bujnowski added two blocks.
Olivia Marks (Canterbury, Conn.) added eight points off of an Emmanuel bench that outscored the Mustangs reserves 49-0. The Saints also had a 28-4 advantage in points off turnovers and a slim 37-32 nod in rebounding margin.
Mount Ida hits the road again, but not until next Thursday when they visit Rivier in Nashua, N.H. at 7:00 pm.
Emmanuel returns to Boston, will visit the gym of Suffolk on February 1st for their next game, a GNAC affair at 1:00 pm.