Leavitt helps Husson men snap losing skein Eagles women beat Lasell, lose to Mount Ida

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BANGOR – The Husson College men’s basketball team was angry Sunday afternoon. The Eagles were sick of playing poorly and tired of losing after dropping their first three games. They took their frustration out on Mount Ida. Husson shut out the Mustangs…
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BANGOR – The Husson College men’s basketball team was angry Sunday afternoon.

The Eagles were sick of playing poorly and tired of losing after dropping their first three games. They took their frustration out on Mount Ida.

Husson shut out the Mustangs for the first 61/2 minutes of the second half to fuel a 13-0 scoring run that carried the Eagles to an 80-66 North Atlantic Conference victory at Newman Gymnasium.

In the women’s game, Mount Ida of Newton Center, Mass., rallied from a 14-point, second-half deficit to pull out a 74-69 overtime win.

In Sunday’s finale, Guilford’s Buddy Leavitt scored 16 of his team-high 21 points in the second half to power Husson. Leavitt, who sat out the first two games for undisclosed disciplinary reasons, said the team wasn’t going to allow the early skid to continue.

“We definitely came out with a little anger in the second half,” Leavitt said, “anger about losing and sick of playing the way we have been.”

Husson, 1-1 in NAC play, trailed 23-10 early but stormed back behind a gritty defensive effort to cut the deficit to 33-30 at halftime. The Eagles kept the momentum going after the break, rattling off 13 unanswered points to take a 43-33 lead on their way to an eventual 23-point bulge.

“There was a combination of unfamiliarity of our record and not meeting our expectations as to the level of play,” said Husson coach Warren Caruso. “I think certainly we played closer to expectations.”

Leavitt broke a 33-33 tie with two foul shots before Jeff White sandwiched a putback hoop and a slicing layup around a Leavitt baseline jump hook that made it 41-33 with 15:52 left.

Leavitt continued the surge, scoring from down low then twice trading 3-pointers with Travis Patterson during a 17-9 surge that made it 57-42.

“It was a huge game,” said Leavitt, who grabbed eight rebounds. “It’s great to go out there and get a win, get some confidence that hopefully will carry over into the next game.”

White and Tyler Muzzy each posted 11 points and six rebounds for the Eagles, while Patterson finished with 11 points and Phil White 10. Nick Henry added seven points and nine rebounds.

Curtis Gadles led Mount Ida with 26 points and 13 rebounds. Hermon’s Ron Lane added seven points and four rebounds.

Husson, which took advantage of its depth, shot a sizzling 53 percent in the second half and finished with a 49-32 rebounding advantage.

In the opener, the Mount Ida women’s team fought back from a 14-point deficit, forced overtime and pulled out a victory.

The 3-5 Mustangs (1-1 NAC) turned in a superior rebounding performance and capitalized on their free throws during a spirited comeback.

“It’s all about defense, that’s what carried us,” said Mount Ida coach Natalie Nakic. “It’s all about heart, grit and determination.”

Mount Ida outrebounded Husson 44-29, hustling its way to 17 offensive boards.

“They totally outhustled us on the rebounds and that I think made a huge difference giving them some second shots,” said Husson coach Kissy Walker.

The Mustangs also went 28-for-36 (78 percent) from the foul line, making 16 straight in one stretch. Husson (2-3, 0-2 NAC) also committed 15 of its 21 turnovers in the second half.

“Offensively, we really struggled to get a passing angle so that we could make the pass into the post,” Walker said. “We didn’t get into an offensive flow at all.”

Kristin Santos scored 21 points to pace Mount Ida. Adrienne Xenos provided 17 points, going 9-for-10 from the foul line, and nine rebounds.

Husson was paced by 20 points from Crystal Martin, while Annie McIntosh scored 13 and blocked four shots. Carmen Ballard and Holly Gracie chipped in with 12 and 11 points, respectively.

The Eagles scored the first four points of overtime to take a 63-59 lead, but Santos sandwiched 3-pointers around a Gracie layup to make it 65-65 with 2:55 left.

Mount Ida gained its first lead since early in the first half when Xenos made two foul shots with 1:12 to play.

Ballard’s free throw got Husson back within one, but Maggie Bramswig nailed a huge 3-pointer to make it a four-point game with 37 seconds left.

Mount Ida had turned up its defensive intensity, holding Husson scoreless for the last three minutes of regulation. The Mustangs evened the score from the foul line as Bobbi Jo Taft made two with 11 seconds left to make it 59-all.

McIntosh missed an eight-foot fall-away shot with one second remaining.

In Saturday’s men’s game, Lasell College pulled away in the second half for a 74-59 victory over the Eagles.

Greg Walker led the winners with 29 points, while Dan Schweitzer had 14 points and six assists and Demitrius DeJesus grabbed 10 rebounds.

Leavitt paced Husson with 19 points, while Andy Frost and Phil White added eight each.

In Saturday’s women’s game, Martin led four Husson scorers in double figures with 18 points as the Eagles held off Lasell 72-64.

Gracie added 14 points while McIntosh scored 13 and Michelle Murray chipped in with 10 points and seven assists.

Justine Hill led Lasell with 15 points and eight assists.

(Saturday’s Men’s Game)

Lasell (2-3) 74

Martinez 3-0-9, Unwin 2-1-5, Walker 11-3-29, Sweitzer 7-0-14, Dejesus 0-2-2, Crawford, Talio 1-1-3, Celestin 2-0-4, Miller, Lovaincy, Hunte 4-0-8

Husson (0-3) 59

Patterson 2-0-6, Frost 4-0-8, Muzzy 2-1-6, J. White 3-0-6, Leavitt 6-4-19, Lee, Grant 1-0-2, Footer 2-0-4, P. White 3-2-8, Henry

3-pt. goals: Walker 4, Martinez 3; Leavitt 3, Patterson 2, Muzzy

Halftime: Lasell 37-36

(Saturday’s Women’s Game)

Lasell (1-2) 64

Duffy 4-1-9, Hill 5-5-15, Deluca 4-0-9, Rapisardi 2-8-12, Allen 6-0-12, Sieger 1-0-2, Morin 2-0-5, Egan, Hiza

Husson (2-2) 72

Martin 7-2-18, Murray 2-4-10, Noyes 1-1-3, Gracie 5-2-14, McIntosh 5-3-13, Hartshorn 3-0-6, Ballard 1-0-2, Merchant 2-1-5, McIntyre 0-1-1

3-pt. goals: Deluca, Morin; Martin 2, Gracie 2, Murray 2

Halftime: Husson 29-18

MUSTANGS 74, EAGLES 69 (OT)

Mount Ida (2-4) Husson women (2-3)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Tuff 1 10 3 6 6 Martin 6 12 7 20

Santos 6 15 5 6 21 Murray 0 1 0

Ring 3 10 2 2 8 Noyes 3 6 1 7

Taft 1 5 7 10 9 Gracie 5 12 0 11

Bramswig 2 9 0 0 5 McIntosh 5 10 3 6 13

Gilbert 2 2 2 2 8 Hartshorn 2 4

Hickey 0 0 0 0 0 Ballard 4 6 12

Xenos 4 10 9 10 17 Merchant 0 0

Melcher 0 0 0 0

Post 0 0 0 0

McIntyre 1 4 2

Totals 19 61 28 36 74 26 56 15 22 69

Mount Ida 30 59 74

Husson 39 59 69

3-pt. goals – Mount Ida (8-15): Santos 4-6, Gilbert 2-2, Tuff 1-4, Bramswig 1-2, Taft 0-1; Husson (2-6): Martin 1-2, Gracie 1-4

Attendance: 200 (est.)

EAGLES 80, MUSTANGS 66

Mount Ida (3-5) Husson men (1-3)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Vasiliu 7 13 0 0 16 Miller 0 0 0

Gadles 10 16 5 6 26 Lee 2 7 7

Dunham 2 16 2 2 8 Muzzy 5 11 11

Lane 3 9 1 3 7 Philbrick 0 2 0

Conyers 2 3 0 3 4 Henry 3 7 7

Bryant 0 4 2 4 2 Paterson 3 11

Williams 1 4 1 1 3 Frost 1 4 2

J. White 5 10 11

Grant 0 2 0 0

Footer 0 2 0 0

P. White 5 9 10

Leavitt 8 20 2 21

Totals 25 65 11 19 66 Totals 32 82 13 80

Mount Ida 33 66

Husson 30 80

3-pt. goals – Mount Ida (5-19): Vasiliu 2-5, Dunham 2-9, Gadles 1-3, Lane 0-1, Conyers 0-1; Husson (7-24): Paterson 3-6, Leavitt 3-8, Lee 1-3, Grant 0-1, P. White 0-1, Muzzy 0-2, J. White 0-3

Attendance: 200 (est.)


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