Mount Ida took an early 11-6 lead following a three-pointer by senior Scott Chamberlain (Millis, Mass./Millis), but Johnson State outscored the Mustangs 35-18 over the final 15:39 to open up a 41-29 halftime advantage.
Trailing 76-67 with 3:09 remaining in regulation, Mount Ida ran off nine-straight points in a span of 2:22. Senior Matt McGaughran (Taunton, Mass./Coyle & Cassidy) knocked down a trifecta with 47 seconds on the clock to cap off the furious rally, and Johnson State turned the ball over on the ensuing possession. McGaughran failed to connect on a three-point attempt that would have given the Mustangs the lead at the six second mark, and sophomore Charlie Viana (Valley Stream, N.Y./Valley Stream So.) converted on a pair of free throws to ice things for the Badgers.
Senior Fran Ponte (Harwinton, Conn./Lewis S. Mills) led all scorers with 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field. Classmate Shan Levine (Georgia, Vt./BFA-St. Albans) registered a double-double on 13 points and 11 rebounds and also blocked a game high four shots for Johnson State. The Badgers also received solid production from senior Billy Durbrow (Washington, Vt./Spaulding), who totaled 11 points and a game-high five assists. Viana knocked down three shots from behind the arc en route to 12 points, and senior Jason Allen (Corinth, N.Y./Corinth) rounded things out with ten points off the bench for the visitors.
Chamberlain racked up 15 points, seven boards, three assists and four steals to lead Mount Ida. Freshman Otis Thompson (Gardner, Mass./Gardner) was next with ten points and eight rebounds (5 offensive), while classmate Andy McCoo (Penacook, N.H./Merrimack Valley) tallied 14 points, and junior Andreas Vasiliu (Newton, Mass./Newton North) chipped in with 11 points off the bench for the Mustangs.
Both squads are scheduled for league tilts tomorrow. Mount Ida (1-8, 0-2 NAC) will host Castleton State College at 1:00 p.m., while Johnson State (3-3, 1-0 NAC) will travel to Lasell College for game beginning at noon.