WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ — The Iona College women’s basketball team dropped a 75-74 double-overtime decision to Monmouth Sunday afternoon at the Multipurpose Activity Center. A free throw by Jasmine Walker with 1.5 seconds remaining proved to be the difference in the game.
Junior Aaliyah Robinson scored a career-high 25 points in the game, and grabbed ten rebounds to complete her first career double-double. Robinson connected on nine field goals, including five from behind the arc.
Junior forward Joy Adams scored 15 points and set a new single game record with 26 rebounds, including 15 on the offensive end. It marked the fourth career 20-plus rebound effort for Adams, who broke the previous record of 23 set by Linda McKetney during the 1979-80 campaign.
Sophomore guard Marina Lizarazu scored 16 points, and dished out six assists. Senior guard Damika Martinez scored 11 points and grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds in 50 minutes of action. Iona was held to 28.7% shooting in the contest and committed 21 turnovers in the game.
After a three by Robinson gave Iona a 3-2 lead with 18:06 left in the first, Monmouth answered with a 13-3 run, taking a 15-6 lead on layup by Helena Kurt with 8:54 remaining in the period.
The Gaels countered with a 12-3 run, evening the score on a jumper by Martinez with 4:22 left. A pair of free throws by junior Cassidee Ranger gave the Gaels a two-point lead, before the Maroon & Gold extended the advantage to 23-19 on a three by Ranger with 2:09 in the period.
Monmouth scored five straight to take a one-point lead before a layup by Lizarazu with 11 seconds remaining pushed Iona ahead 25-24 at half.
The Gaels opened the second period scoring nine of the first 11 points, as Lizarazu pushed the lead to 34-26 with 16:36 remaining.
With the Maroon & Gold ahead 42-34 with 14:01 left, Monmouth scored eight straight to even the contest with 11:53 remaining. Monmouth held a 56-53 lead with 2:15 on the clock, before a jumper by Robinson cut the deficit to one.
Following a pair of free throws by the Hawks, Robinson sent the game to overtime with a three-pointer with 17 seconds remaining.
Monmouth opened the extra frame with a three by Christina Mitchell and led for all but 24 seconds of the first overtime. After a pair of Lizarazu free throws trimmed the deficit to one, Walker hit the first of two free throws to take a 67-65 lead. Walker’s second attempt missed, and Adams went coast-to-coast with the rebound, putting in a layup with eight seconds.
The Hawks took the opening tip of the second overtime in for a layup to take a 69-67 advantage. Kurt’s free throw with a minute left gave Monmouth a 74-69 lead. Lizarazu knocked down a three and Robinson followed with a layup with 12 seconds left to even the game at 74.
On the Hawks’ final trip down the court, Walker was able to draw a foul and convert the back end of the two-shot penalty for the game winner. Monmouth had three players in double figures, led by 18 from Jenny Horvatinovic and 15 from Mitchell.
The Gaels, 3-5 overall on the year and 1-1 in league play, are back in action Sunday, Dec. 14 when they welcome Central Florida to the Hynes Center for a 2:00 pm tip.