NEW ROCHELLE, NY – Iona College men’s basketball head coach Tim Cluess will be on the air with Mike Francesa this afternoon on his Mike’d Up show on Sports Radio 66 WFAN, 660 AM. The show is also simulcast on the YES Network. Cluess is scheduled to appear at 4:05 pm ET.
The Gaels are coming off a thrilling 70-68 overtime win at Denver last night where the squad erased a 13-point second half deficit. Senior Randy Dezouvre drained an 18-footer with 1.6 seconds left to lift Iona to the win.
The Maroon & Gold are now 7-1 overall with seven straight wins after a disappointing 91-90 defeat in the season opener vs. Purdue. Since taking over the helm last season Cluess has led the Gaels to a 32-13 mark, tied for the most wins (Long Island University) among the 23 NCAA Division I Schools recognized by the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association.
Iona earned its program record ninth straight road win dating back to last season and are three games in to a program record nine-game trip away from the Hynes Center. After games at Marshall (Dec. 11), Richmond (Dec. 14), Vermont (Dec. 14) and William & Mary (Dec. 21), the Gaels return to the Metropolitan area on Dec. 29 at Hofstra. The squad rings in the new year with a Madison Square Garden tilt on Jan. 3 vs. Siena before returning to New Rochelle on Jan. 6 vs. Niagara.
The Gaels are the nation’s highest scoring team, averaging 90.5 points per game, three points better than Texas State through eight games. The team ranks No. 2 with 21.1 assists per game while its 50.5% field goal percentage is 10th in the country.
Senior Scott Machado leads the nation with 10.8 assists per game, ahead of Kendall Marshall from North Carolina and his 9.6 per game average. Senior Mike Glover ranks 18th in field goal percentage (62.5%), 40th in scoring (19.0 ppg) and 56th in rebounding (8.8 rpg) and is one of nine players in the nation averaging more than 19 points and eight rebounds per game. The Gaels have also welcomed the addition of junior Arizona transfer Lamont “Momo” Jones who has averaged 15.1 points per game. Junior Kyle Smyth is Iona’s fourth player averaging double digit points with an even 10.0 ppg.
Iona travels to Marshall for a Sunday afternoon tilt at 2:30 pm
