Anna Maria Tops Fitchburg State, 83-70

Ingram-Rubin posts a game-high 27 points in Falcons first contest of the new year

PAXTON, Mass. (January 4, 2013) – The Anna Maria College men's basketball team had four players in double-figures to push the AMCATS past visiting Fitchburg State University 83-70 in non-conference action on Saturday afternoon at Fuller Activities Center. 

With the win, Anna Maria moves to 3-6 on the season while the Falcons remain winless at 0-9. 

Senior Quantez Franklin (West Yarmouth, Mass.) poured in a team-high 17 points with 8 rebounds in just 22 minutes of play, while junior Hugh Daye (Worcester, Mass.) added 14 points and nine caroms. Senior Joseph Barillo (Dania Beach, Fla.) contributed across the stat sheet. He dished out eight helpers, notched 13 points and grabbed 5 defensive rebounds in the win. Sophomore starter Kyle McKissick (Charlton, Mass.) added 10 points.

Fitchburg was led by senior guard Mike Ingram-Rubin (Boston, Mass.) who had a game-high 27 points on 9-for-17 shooting. Sophomore Anthony Muccioli (Nashua, NH) tipped in 13 points and junior Lincoln Wright (Brockton, Mass.) had 10 points off the bench.

The Falcons jumped out to an early 6-0 lead over the first 2:40 of the contest thanks to a pair of three-pointers by Ingram-Rubin and Malcom Dixon (Bronx, N.Y.). Anna Maria closed the gap to a basket on a Daye jumper at the 11:53 mark, to set the score at 13-11. Fitchburg State regained an 8-point advantage, 22-14 with an 8-0 run.  The AMCATS countered with a McKissick trey and a good jumper by Pedro Trindade (Billerica, Mass.) to trail by two, 26-24 with 6:30 to play in the frame 

With 2:58 remaining in the first stanza, Daye would convert a pair of free-throws to tie the ballgame at 32-32, however the Falcons would counter with a late basket by Mo Molin (Brockton, Mass.) to hold an 41-38 advantage heading into intermission.

Trailing 43-42, just minutes into the second half, Anna Maria took its first lead following a Hugh Daye layup and when Michael Gorman (Methuen, Mass.) canned his first basket of the second half the AMCATS would never trail again.

The Falcons pulled to within five at the 13:13 mark but that's as close as Fitchburg State could get as Gorman and Franklin struck with layups to push the AMCAT lead to 57-48.

Over the final ten minutes, the AMCATS maintained a double-digit lead and lead by as many as 17 (81-64) after a McKissick jumper with 2:38 to play en route to the 83-70 final.

The AMCATS return to action on Tuesday evening when they travel to Suffolk University for a GNAC contest starting at 7:00pm. Fitchburg State will visit Salem State on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.