Mt. Ida Bests Men’s Basketball, 75-65

BOSTON – Suffolk's freshman class provide 42 of the Rams' 65 total points, but it would not be enough for the men's basketball team as Mount Ida took a 75-65 victory over the blue-and-gold Saturday afternoon inside Regan Gymnasium. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 65, Mt. Ida 75
RECORDS: Suffolk (4-13, 3-7 GNAC) | Mt. Ida (12-5, 8-2 GNAC) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
A tight game came off the tip with the lead changing twice before Mount Ida took a timeout with a 9-5 edge. From there, Suffolk chipped the deficit back to one, 9-8, thanks to a freebie from Thomas Duffy and a bucket from George Grillakis. 

The Rams went ice cold and the Mustangs heated up, using a 12-5 run to go out in front, 21-13. Cameron Powers was the lone player in blue-and-gold during the stretch. 

Out of a Suffolk timeout, Powers continued to excel offensively for the hosts and trimmed the deficit to eight, 26-18, at the 8:34 minute mark. At the time, the freshman guard was responsible for 10 of the Rams' 18 points, matching a career-high in just 5:39 minutes of action. 

From there, Mt. Ida went ahead by as many as 12, twice, before the Rams rallied. In the final five minutes, Suffolk outscored the Mustangs, 9-5, to cut the half time deficit to just seven, 38-31. 

The first five minutes of the second stanza the Mustangs surged, outscoring the Rams, 8-5 to gain a 46-36 and force a Suffolk timeout. Out of the break Mt. Ida used another stretch, this time 8-2, to go ahead 54-38 with 9:15 remaining. 

Suffolk's score stood at a standstill over the next 2:06, but Mt. Ida's moved to 59. A set of free throws from Austin Prevost and Powers broke up the scoring lull for the Rams and cut the deficit to 13 points with just over six minutes remaining in regulation. 

The 13-point hole grew into a 17-point margin with 3:14 on the clock. The Rams used accuracy on free throws and a huge triple from Jim Djema at the 2:54 minute mark. 

It turned into a battle of free throws and Mount Ida was consistent at the line to remain in front and not allow Suffolk's comeback. Djema knocked down another trey with 5 seconds remaining for the final 75-65 decision.  

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Djema led a trio of Rams in double digits with 19 points, shooting 7-for-13 from the floor and 4-of-8 on the long ball. He collected six rebounds and handout out two assists in a 26-minute performance.
• Off the bench, Powers provided 16 points, including 10 in the first half, going 6-for-11 from the field and 2-for-5 from deep. He chipped in two takeaways including one in the final minute of action.
• Prevost, a rookie reserve, added 14 points on a 5-for-7 showing from the field and 4-for-6 effort at the line. He led the Rams on the glass, grabbing seven boards, six on the defensive end.
• Michael Hagopian chipped in to Suffolk's 35-rebound effort with six caroms to go along with one takeaway.
• Suffolk finished the day with a 40.7 connection rate (24-59) from the field, and went 64.7 percent (11-17) at the free throw line, but struggled beyond the arc shooting just 28.6 percent (6-21).
• The Mustangs, who saw five players in double figures, won the battle on the boards, 40-35. 

NOTEABLES

• Djema collected a career-high in points with 19.
• Powers matched his career-best 10 points in just 5:34 of action in the game. He finished the day with 16 points, a new career-high for the rookie.
• Prevost put in a career-high in points (14) and rebounds (7). 

POST-GAME PIC
 

WHAT'S NEXT?
A mid-week matchup at Johnson & Wales is on the calendar for the Rams Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 7 p.m.