NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Iona College senior guard Damika Martinez poured in a game-high 31 points, while junior forward Joy Adams scored 25 points in an 85-75 victory over Canisius College Sunday afternoon at the Hynes Center. The win moved the Gaels to 3-1 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play this season and completed a 2-0 weekend for the Maroon & Gold in league action.
Martinez knocked down 11 shots in the contest, including six from behind the arc. Adams posted her second straight 20-point scoring effort on a 9-for-15 effort from the field, and a 6-for-7 line from the charity stripe. Adams added 10 rebounds to complete her 51st career double-double.
Junior guard Aaliyah Robinson scored 15 points in the contest, while sophomore guard Marina Lizarazu scored 12 points and dished out eight assists. The Gaels shot 51.7% from the field in the game, and 45.0% from behind the arc.
Never trailing in the contest, Iona scored the first 10 points of the game, before a 17-9 surge by the Golden Griffins cut the advantage to two points, 19-17, with 12:24 left in the first period.
With the Gaels ahead 24-22 with 9:01 remaining in the half, Iona retook a double-digit lead with a 10-2 run. A layup by Adams with 4:00 on the clock gave the Maroon & Gold a 37-24 advantage.
The Griffs pushed across eight straight to cut the lead to five, 37-32, but a 7-2 charge over the final 2:37 of the period gave Iona a 44-34 lead at half.
Trailing by 13, 56-43, Canisius stayed in the game with 14-5 run before the Gaels regained a double digit lead with an 8-1 run of their home. A final charge by the Griffs got the visitors within six with 4:35 left in the game before Iona put the game away with another 8-1 run.
Canisius was led by Emily Weber’s 21 points, while Kayla Hoohuli had 13 points. The Gaels are back in action Friday evening, when it travels to Manhattan for a 7:00 pm tip.
