Mount Ida trailed 9-2 before running off seven straight points to knot the game up at the 16 minute mark of the opening frame. The Mustangs then used a 9-0 spurt midway through the half to open up a 27-18 edge. Mitchell came back to tie the score at 37-37 with just over one minute remaining in the stanza, but McGaughran converted a conventional three-point play to give Mount Ida a 40-37 cushion at the break.
From there, the hosts cruised, outscoring the Pequots 50-31 in the second half. Four Mustangs reached double-digits, as Mount Ida shot 47.3% (35-74) from the floor. The home team also held a 55-39 advantage on the glass, grabbing 18 offensive rebounds.
Chamberlain finished with 20 points and 15 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season and 24th of his career. He also blocked four shots and dished out three assists, while McGaughran tallied a season-high 22 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the field, including three treys. The fifth year player snatched a career-best ten boards to complete the first double-double of his career.
The Mustangs also received solid production from juniors Doug Williams (Ellicot City, Md./St. Mary’s) and Andreas Vasiliu (Newton, Mass./Newton North). Williams totaled 18 points, nine rebounds and a game-high five steals, while Vasiliu registered 15 points four steals and four helpers.
Junior T.J. Smith (Wallkill, N.Y./Wallkill Senior) led all scorers with 28 points to go with eight boards for Mitchell. Classmates James Dunleavy (Fair Haven, Vt./Fair Haven Union) and Tony Smith (Wethersfield, Conn./Wethersfield) were also solid for the Pequots, recording 15 and 12 points respectively.
Mount Ida (5-16, 4-7 NAC) will travel to Maine for a pair of key Conference games this weekend. The Mustangs will face Maine Maritime Academy on Saturday and Husson College on Sunday. Both contests are set to tip-off at 3:00 p.m. Mitchell (8-14, Independent) returns to action on Saturday, when it plays its third of six straight road games at Bridgewater State College.