MOUNT IDA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Thursday, January 25, 2018
Athletic Center, Newton, Mass.
FINAL: MOUNT IDA 48, SIMMONS 46
NEWTON, Mass. -- Sophomore Valerie Martin's (Derry, N.H.) lay-in with 1.4 seconds remaining provided the winning bucket and propelled Mount Ida to a 48-46 Great Northeast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory over Simmons Thursday evening at the Athletic Center.
The host Mustangs (11-6, 4-4 GNAC) trailed the visiting Sharks (1-13, 1-8 GNAC) by three (24-21) in an opening half that saw the two squads combine to shoot 28 percent from the field overall, and after Simmons had led for the first 27-plus minutes of action, Mount Ida grabbed a 31-28 edge on a three-pointer by senior Breanna Muir (Wareham, Mass.) with 2:18 remaining in the third stanza en route to a 34-32 advantage heading into the final frame. The Mustangs extended that margin to four points (44-40) on a pair of Martin free throws with 3:34 to play, but the Sharks scored six of the game's next eight points to even matters on a three-pointer by freshman Jalissa Rodriguez (Waterbury, Conn.) with 2:09 remaining. Both teams had a pair of chances to take the lead over the next minute before Martin provided the heroics with a drive down the lane for the hosts, as the visitors were unable to inbound the ball for a potential tying or winning shot.
Martin posted a double-double effort of 17 points and 10 rebounds as Mount Ida extended its winning streak to three straight, while Muir was also in double figures with 13 points, three boards and a pair of steals for the victors. Sophomore Alisa Benson (Middletown, R.I.) added eight points and nine caroms in the contest for the hosts, who received five points, three rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals from senior Imani Bumpus (Dedham, Mass.) to go with five points, seven boards and three steals from fellow senior Jaime Moscato (Taunton, Mass.). Mount Ida overcame a 29 percent (16-54) shooting effort overall that included just 2-of-19 conversions from three-point range, as the Mustangs held a 14-4 scoring advantage at the foul line for the contest.
Senior Presley Silva (Wilmington, Mass.) notched a double-double performance of 16 points, 13 rebounds, six blocks and a pair of steals in the setback for Simmons, which received 13 points from Rodriguez as well as seven points, five assists, three boards and three steals from junior Rebekah Carroll (Londonderry, N.H.). Junior Lauren Brandau (Madison, Conn.) grabbed eight rebounds for the Sharks, who shot 28 percent (18-63) from the floor overall and connected for six three-pointers while holding a 44-43 rebounding advantage on the night.
Mount Ida heads to Weston, Mass. on Saturday afternoon to take on Regis in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference outing that tips-off at 1:00 p.m., while Simmons travels to Providence, R.I. to square off with Johnson & Wales in a GNAC clash beginning at 3:00 p.m.