STANDISH, ME – Saint Joseph's College (9-5, 5-3 GNAC) defeated Mount Ida College (5-10, 1-7 GNAC), 69-50, in GNAC men's basketball action at the Harold Alfond Center on Tuesday night. Junior guard Matthew Medeiros (Westport, Mass.) scored a game-high 18 points and pulled down seven rebounds in the victory.
The Monks raced out of the gates to the tune of a 27-7 lead over the opening 14 minutes and held the lead from wire to wire versus the Mustangs. Medeiros netted 15 in the first half and the hosts shot 60% - including an 8-13 clip from three-point range - before the break and led 44-21 going into intermission.
Saint Joseph's proceeded to gain a game-high 27-point (48-21) cushion with Nicholas Jobin (Westbrook, Maine) and Julio Vazquez (Waterbury, Conn.) buckets early in the second stanza and led by 20 or more until Mustangs sophomore guard Aaron Kelly (Norwalk, Conn.) made a layup with 1:10 remaining to account for the 69-50 final.
For the Monks, Jobin scored 14 points, sophomore Steve Simonds (Steep Falls, Maine) added 10 points, four boards, three assists and three steals, and Vazquez contributed four points, five assists and six caroms in the victory. Junior James Philbrook (Auburn, Maine) tallied five points and five rebounds, sophomore Matt Sullivan (West Babylon, N.Y.) chipped in six points and four boards in only five minutes on the court, and Krubiel Workie (Denver, Colo.) produced six points off the bench.
For the Mustangs, senior Jeff McNair (Brockton, Mass.) registered 14 points and six boards while converting all five of his free throw bids and Kelly scored 10 in a losing effort. Junior Kenny Jean (Dorchester, Mass.) added seven points and six boards and freshman John Fortes (New Bedford, Mass.) left the bench to net six points for the visitors.
Overall, Saint Joseph's shot 48.1% (26-54) from the floor, 42.9% (9-21) from downtown, and 72.7 (8-11) from the FT line while Mount Ida connected on 33.3% (19-57) of their shots from the field, 17.4% (4-23) from three-point distance, and 100% (8-8) from the charity stripe.
With the win, Saint Joseph's improves to 13-0 in the history of the series with Mount Ida College. The Monks have more victories versus the Mustangs than any other GNAC opponent.
Both programs return to the hardwood hosting GNAC rivals this Saturday, as Saint Joseph's faces Anna Maria College in a rematch of a 2012 GNAC Tournament semifinal at 3:00 PM and Mount Ida battles reigning conference champion Albertus Magnus College in a 5:00 PM start.
Saint Joseph's College, founded in 1912 by the Sisters of Mercy, celebrates its Centennial year in 2012 with a theme of "Realize the Promise" – honoring our commitment to educating well-rounded graduates who combine career focus with classic liberal arts studies. A Private, Catholic, primarily residential, coeducational liberal arts institution, Saint Joseph's welcomes students of all ages and all faiths. The campus, located 18 miles northwest of Portland and just two hours from Boston, encompasses 350 acres along the shore of beautiful Sebago Lake in Standish, Maine. Enrollment ranges between 1,000 and 1,100 students annually. Saint Joseph's offers challenging academic programs in the liberal arts and sciences, education, nursing and business fields in a value-centered environment.
