Andy McCoo (Penacook, N.H./Merrimack Valley) sparked the hosts with 18 points (14 second half) on 7-of-15 shooting from the floor. The freshman also picked up four steals and two assists. Senior Scott Chamberlain (Millis, Mass./Millis) posted a double-double on ten points and 12 rebounds, while classmate Matt McGaughran (Taunton, Mass./Coyle & Cassidy) added 17 points, three boards and two helpers. Rounding out Mount Ida’s double-digit scorers was junior Doug Williams (Ellicot City, Md./St. Mary’s), who came off the bench to tally ten points on 5-of-7 shooting.
Eastern Nazarene also had four players with ten or more points. Freshman Ricardo Jean-Noel (Montreal, Quebec/Acade’mie De Roberval) led all scorers with 21 points to go with a team-best four assists. He shot 8-of-15 from the floor, including 3-of-4 from three-point range. Junior Dave Duda (Brunswick, Maine/New Milford (Conn.) notched a double-double on ten points and a game-high 14 rebounds (9 first half), while classmates Christian Corey (Keene, N.H./Northfield Mt. Herman (Mass.)) and Ryan Seaberg (Cheyenne, Wyo./Cheyenne East) netted 11 and ten points respectively. Sophomore Luc Jasmin (Pawtucket, R.I./Tolman) added 12 rebounds for the Crusaders.
The visitors jumped out to an early six-point advantage (8-2) on a three-pointer by Jean Noel with 18:19 on the clock, but Mount Ida answered with ten consecutive points over the next four minutes to go up 12-8. The Mustangs held the lead for the remainder of the first half, taking a 30-29 edge into the locker room.
Following a 9-2 Crusaders rally to begin the second frame, Mount Ida outscored the visitors 44-20 down the stretch to secure the win. The Mustangs shot a sizzling 51.5% (17-33) in the second half, connecting on 3-of-7 from beyond the arc.
Mount Ida (1-4, 0-0 NAC) opens up its North Atlantic Conference slate at inter-city rival Lasell College on Thursday at 4:00 p.m. The Mustangs will return home to take on Emmanuel College on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Nazarene (0-5, 0-0 CCC) will also be in action on Thursday, when it hosts Framingham State College for a non-conference matchup beginning at 8:00 p.m.