MOUNT IDA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Thursday, February 1, 2018
Athletic Center, Newton, Mass.
FINAL: MOUNT IDA 70, SAINT JOSEPH (CONN.) 62
NEWTON, Mass. -- Sophomore Valerie Martin (Derry, N.H.) notched a double-double effort of 24 points, 15 rebounds and four assists as Mount Ida overcame a six-point fourth quarter deficit to post a 70-62 Great Northeast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory over Saint Joseph (Conn.) Thursday evening at the Athletic Center.
The host Mustangs (12-8, 5-6 GNAC) trailed the visiting Blue Jays (8-11, 3-8 GNAC) by a 53-47 margin heading into the final 10 minutes of action, but Mount Ida used a 10-2 run over the first 5:33 of the frame to grab a 57-55 lead on two Martin free throws with 4:27 remaining. Saint Joseph answered by scoring seven of the game's next 12 points to take a 62-60 edge on junior Kenya Anselme's (Hartford, Conn.) three-pointer with 1:42 left, and after Martin forged the game's 14th and final tie of the night with a lay-in 18 seconds later, a steal and lay-in by senior Imani Bumpus (Dedham, Mass.) gave the hosts the lead for good with 41 seconds to play. The Mustangs scored the final eight points of the contest and iced their triumph with six combined free throws from Martin and senior Breanna Muir (Wareham, Mass.), as Mount Ida improved to a perfect 9-0 on its home floor this winter.
Muir added 19 points (including four three-pointers) and a pair of assists in the win for the Mustangs, who held a 37-36 lead at the break but saw the Blue Jays use a 17-10 third quarter scoring advantage to take their sixth point edge to the final stanza. Senior Jaime Moscato (Taunton, Mass.) added nine points, four rebounds and four steals for Mount Ida, which eight points and five boards off the bench from sophomore Alisa Benson (Middletown, R.I.). Bumpus chipped in with six points, seven caroms, three steals and a pair of assists for the hosts, who received three rebounds from senior Patricia Liotta (Hampton Bays, N.Y.). The Mustangs shot 41 percent (22-53) from the field and held a 21-8 scoring advantage from the foul line for the contest, as Martin and Muir combined for 18 of those points from the charity stripe.
Senior Kayla Guest (Newington, Conn.) recorded a double-double effort of 23 points, 11 rebounds and six steals in the setback for Saint Joseph, which received 11 points and four assists from fellow senior Rajeen Mayo (Middletown, Conn.). Junior Diamond Wallen (Hartford, Conn.), along with freshmen Anna Chevarella (Derby, Conn.) and Melicia Mendez (Hartford, Conn.), each had six points for the Blue Jays, who received five points from Anselme along with nine boards from freshman Shaniyah Williams (New Britain, Conn.). The visitors shot 35 percent (24-69) from the floor overall and connected for six three-pointers, as Saint Joseph held a slim 40-39 rebounding advantage on the evening that included a 16-9 edge on the offensive glass.
Mount Ida hosts Suffolk in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference outing on Saturday afternoon at the Athletic Center that tips-off at 1:00 p.m., while Saint Joseph entertains Saint Joseph's (Maine) in a GNAC clash on Saturday afternoon in West Hartford, Conn. that also begins at 1:00 p.m.