RIVERDALE, NY – The Iona College men’s basketball team led wire-to-wire in a 102-65 win over Manhattan in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action at Draddy Gym. Five players scored double-digits led by junior Scott Machado’s (Queens, NY) 20 points and career-high six three-point field goals in the victory.
The Gaels (17-10, 11-5 MAAC) won their fourth-straight contest and kept pace with Rider and Saint Peter’s in a three-way tie for second place in the MAAC standings. The squad still holds the tiebreaker by virtue of its 2-1 record vs. the two teams and remains in control of its own destiny with the final two games of conference play next weekend.
Iona shot a season-high for a half with its 19-for-26 (73.1%) effort in the first half, building a 56-36 advantage at intermission. The 56 points matched their season-high set on Jan. 9 vs. Loyola at the Hynes Center.
The Maroon & Gold continued its torrid shooting in the second half, with a 60.7% effort while outscoring the Jaspers 46-29. Its 102 total points marked the second time this season the team reached triple-digits.
Machado shot 7-for-9 from the field with his six trifectas. With four assists, he became the first player in school history to record 200 or more assists in a season. Freshman Sean Armand (Brooklyn, NY) sophomore Chris Pelcher (Albany, NY) and junior Trinity Fields (Queens, NY) each scored double-digits off the bench. Armand had 13 points in the first half. He added four rebounds and three three-point field goals. Pelcher scored 11 of his career-high 13 points in the second half posting five rebounds in 20 minutes of play. Field had 12 points and four rebounds with a season-best three three-balls. All of his points also came in the second half. Senior Rashon Dwight (Newark, NJ) posted 12 points in the first half, scoring the first seven points of the game for the Gaels. Senior Alejo Rodriguez (New York, NY) and junior Mike Glover (Bronx, NY) posted nine points apiece. Glover led the squad with seven boards. Junior Jermel Jenkins (Union, NJ) had eight points and was one shy of his career-high with seven assists.
Manhattan was led by sophomore George Beamon’s 21 points. Graduate Demetrius Jemison netted 19 points in the loss.
The Gaels set new season-highs for field goal percentage (66.7%) and assists (27) and was one field goal shy (36) of their best effort of the year. Iona also out rebounded Manhattan 37-25 while holding the Jaspers to just 39.1% from the field. The bench outscored the starters 52-50 in the win.
Iona continues its season-long four-game road trip in Lynchburg, VA when they face the Big South’s Liberty University in a Sears Bracketbusters matchup on ESPN at 3:00 pm on Saturday (Feb. 19).
–ICGAELS.COM–