MOUNT IDA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Second Round – 2017 Mustang Classic
Saturday, November 18, 2017
Athletic Center, Newton, Mass.
GAME #1 FINAL: WENTWORTH 62, WHEELOCK 54
GAME #2 FINAL: MOUNT IDA 68, DEAN 64
NEWTON, Mass. -- Senior Imani Bumpus (Dedham, Mass.) notched a double-double effort of 21 points and 13 rebounds to earn tournament Most Valuable Player honors and lead Mount Ida to a 68-64 non-league college women's basketball victory over Dean in second round play of the 2017 Mustang Classic Saturday afternoon at the Athletic Center. In the other second round match-up, senior Haley Sabino (Topsfield, Mass.) recorded a double-double performance of 18 point and 13 rebounds to lead Wentworth to a 62-54 triumph over Wheelock.
The host Mustangs, who are off to their best start in the program's 18-year NCAA varsity history at 3-0, jumped out to a 20-16 first quarter advantage and led by as many as eight in the second stanza before the visiting Bulldogs (1-2) closed the half on an 18-10 run to forge a 40-40 deadlock at the break. Dean scored five of the final seven points of the third quarter to snap a 50-50 tie and take a 55-54 edge into the final frame on a jumper by senior Morgan Turner (Winter Park, Fla.), but Bumpus keyed a 12-3 Mount Ida run with 10 points in nearly seven minutes of action to stake the hosts to a 66-57 lead with 2:30 remaining in the contest. The Bulldogs responded with six straight points in a 1:08 span to close to within three on freshman Chantell Lopez's (Meriden, Conn.) lay-in with 1:12 to go, but a pair of free throws by senior Breanna Muir (Wareham, Mass.) in the closing 10 seconds of play iced the Mustangs' triumph.
Muir finished with 14 points, six rebounds and five assists in the win for Mount Ida, while fellow senior Patricia Liotta (Hampton Bays, N.Y.) joined Bumpus on the all-tournament team after collecting 13 points and three boards. Sophomore Alisa Benson (Middletown, R.I.) came off the bench to add 10 points and seven caroms for the Mustangs, who received a combined 10 points and eight rebounds from senior Jaime Moscato (Taunton, Mass.) and sophomore Valerie Martin (Derry, N.H.). The hosts shot 38 percent (23-61) from the floor and held a 15-6 scoring edge at the foul line for the afternoon.
Turner, who was also tabbed to the all-tournament squad, posted a double-double effort of 18 points, 10 rebounds and three assists in the setback for Dean, which also received a double-double performance of 12 points and 12 boards from sophomore Shannon Rosensteel (Sunrise, Fla.). Junior Jamaya Cleveland (Greensboro, Ga.) chipped in with nine points, five rebounds and four assists for the Bulldogs, who received nine points from junior Amanda Miressi (New Rochelle, N.Y.) as well as a combined 10 points and 10 boards from Lopez and freshman Nicole Romero (Winchendon, Mass.). The visitors shot 36 percent (26-73) from the field and held a 47-43 edge on the glass for the contest, but Dean hurt itself with 20 turnovers on the day.
Wentworth (1-2) used a 16-6 scoring edge in the third quarter to turn a 31-29 halftime lead into a 47-35 advantage in the opening game of the afternoon, as Sabino and sophomore Sam McGibbon (Pembroke, Mass.) each had five points in the frame. The Leopards led by 10 with 8:10 remaining in the contest before Wheelock (0-2) closed back to within five on a pair of occasions, the last coming on a lay-in by freshman Alivia Damper (Reston, Va.) with 3:02 to play to slice the Wildcats' deficit to 55-50. Wentworth iced its triumph by converting seven of eight free throws down the stretch, including three by junior Francesca Matira (Ledyard, Conn.) in the final 35 seconds that accounted for the final margin.
McGibbon joined Sabino (who earned all-tournament team accolades) in double figures with 12 points in the win for the Leopards, who received nine points from Matira to go with six rebounds and three steals from freshman Stephanie Mini (Topsfield, Mass.). Wentworth shot 35 percent from the floor (22-62) and held a 37-34 rebounding edge in the contest, as the Leopards converted 26 Wheelock turnovers into 13 points. Senior Katie Walsh (East Islip, N.Y.), the final member of this year's all-tournament squad, notched a double-double effort of 19 points, 10 rebounds a pair of blocks in the setback for the Wildcats, who received a game-high 20 points and six steals from Damper. Senior Gaby Haywood (Longmeadow, Mass.) and junior Sarah Tobin (Salisbury, Mass.) combined for nine points and 13 caroms for Wheelock, which shot 41 percent (17-42) from the field but was outrebounded 17-9 on the offensive glass.
Mount Ida heads to Longmeadow, Mass. on Tuesday afternoon to take on Bay Path in a non-league outing that tips-off at 4:00 p.m., while Dean hosts MCLA in a non-league contest on Tuesday afternoon in Franklin, Mass. beginning at 5:00 p.m. Wentworth will be idle until Monday, November 27th when the Leopards entertain Emerson in a non-league affair at 7:00 p.m. in Boston, while Wheelock will host Eastern Nazarene on November 27th in Boston beginning at 7:30 p.m.