NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Senior David Laury and junior Isaiah Williams recorded career-high point totals in leading the Iona College men’s basketball team to a 91-84 win over Indiana State in non-conference action at the Hynes Center. Laury posted 30 points and 11 rebounds while Williams added 27 points and seven boards in the win.
On an afternoon when the nation’s leading scorer, junior A.J. English, had a tough shooting effort, Laury and Williams picked up for their teammate. Laury was 11-of-15 from the field and converted 8-of-14 free throw attempts and added three assists. Williams was 10-of-19 with six three point field goals in the win. Rookie Schadrac Casimir scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds in support of Laury and Williams. English scored eight points with six assists and four rebounds but had an off night shooting, just 1-for-11 from the field.
Iona trailed by as many as 15 points in the first half following a Tre Bennet jumper with 3:35 to play. Iona ended the frame on a 13-4 run to get within six points at the break.
The second half saw 11 ties and 11 lead changes in a seesaw battle that saw the Gaels come out on top. A put back dunk by Williams with 15:00 on the clock put Iona ahead for the first time since early in the first half. A driving layup by Laury with 6:20 left put the Gaels ahead 74-72 and while Sycamores knotted the score two possessions later, the Maroon & Gold never trailed the rest of the way.
Khristian Smith led four Indiana State double-digit performers with 24 points, while recording eight rebounds. Brenton Scott had 16 points of the bench; Devonte Brown posted 15 points and six rebounds while Justin Gant had 10 points in the loss.
The hot shooting Sycamores converted 63.6% of their shot attempts in the first half and were limited to just 38.5% in the second. The Gaels shot 47.5 percent for the game including 51.9% in the final 20 minutes.
Following a week off, Iona is back in action at George Mason next Saturday (Dec. 20) in Fairfax, VA.