Mount Ida led 20-16 following a basket by senior captain Matt McGaughran (Taunton, Mass./Coyle & Cassidy) at the 11:31 mark of the first frame, but Mitchell exploded for a 15-3 run over the next 5:41 to open up an eight-point (31-23) edge. The Pequots took a 45-37 advantage into the locker room despite five first half three-pointers by the Mustangs.
Trailing by 12 points (59-47) with 9:16 remaining in regulation, Mount Ida delivered a 15-3 run of its own. Senior Scott Chamberlain (Millis, Mass./Millis) poured in ten points during the rally, and McGaughran capped things off with an old-fashioned three-point play to knot the contest at 62-62 with 2:30 on the clock.
The game went scoreless until Dunleavy connected on what proved to be the game-winner with just under one minute to play. Senior David Andrade (Brockton, Mass./Brockton) converted 1-of-2 free throws to extend the Pequots lead to 65-62 with 14 seconds remaining, and Mitchell escaped with its third straight win, as junior Andreas Vasiliu (Newton, Mass./Newton North) failed on a pair of three-point attempts on the Mustangs final possession.
The Pequots shot 41.9% (26-62) from the field, including 51.4% (18-35) in the first half. Junior T.J. Smith (Wallkill, N.Y./Wallkill) led all scorers with 17 points, while senior Daniel Bastine (San Diego, Calif./ La Jolla Country Day School) added 11 points and a game-high four steals. Mitchell also received solid production from Andrade, who finished with nine points, five boards and a game-best nine assists.
Chamberlain was dominant for the Mustangs, racking up 17 points and 16 rebounds for his third double-double of the season and 23rd of his career. McGaughran drained three trifectas en route to 13 points, while Vasiliu chipped in with ten points and a club-high four helpers. Freshman Otis Thompson (Gardner, Mass./Gardner) rounded things out with 12 rebounds for Mount Ida, which owned a 42-32 advantage on the glass for the game.
Mount Ida (3-13, 2-4 NAC) will be in action again on Wednesday, when it visits Lesley University for a league game beginning at 6:00 p.m. The Mustangs will return to the Athletic Center for a Conference tilt versus Becker College on Wednesday, February 1. Mitchell (4-12, Independent) will hit the road on Monday to face off against Lehman (N.Y.) College at 7:00 p.m.