NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Iona College women’s basketball junior forward Joy Adams scored 16 points and grabbed a game-high 19 rebounds while junior guard Aaliyah Robinson registered a game-high 18 points in the Gaels’ 60-41 victory over Manhattan Thursday morning at the Hynes Athletics Center on Kids Day Out.
The Iona defense held the Jaspers to just 27.0% shooting from the field and just one three-point field goal in the game. After scoring just 18 points in the first half, the Gaels responded with a 42 point second-half effort, and finished the game on a 15-2 run to distance themselves from the visiting Jaspers.
Adams knocked down just three baskets in the contest, but went 10-for-12 from the free throw line. The 19 rebounds were the third most this season for the forward, who has now collected 12 double-doubles on the year.
Senior guard Damika Martinez struggled from the floor, connecting on just three of 14 attempts, but still finished with 11 points. Sophomore guard Marina Lizarazu returned to the starting five for the first time in four games, and finished with a game-high eight assists.
Iona connected on just five of 28 attempts (17.9%) from the field in the first half, but held Manhattan to 25.8% shooting from the field. The Gaels connected on seven shots from the charity stripe to keep the contest even at 18 after the first 20 minutes.
The Iona offense turned things around in the second stanza, shooting 50.0% from the floor. After Manhattan grabbed a two point advantage, 20-18, Robinson set the tone with a trifecta, three of her 15 second-half points, to give Iona a one-point lead.
From there, an 8-4 run by the home team gave the Gaels a 29-24 lead with 14:15 remaining. Iona grabbed its first double-digit lead, 45-34, on a layup by Martinez with 7:22 left in the contest.
Manhattan narrowed the margin to six, 45-39, with a 5-0 surge, before the Maroon & Gold put the game out of reach with the next 11 points. Robinson’s third trifecta of the second period pushed the Gaels ahead 56-39 with 1:11 on the clock.
Manhattan was paced by Shayna Ericksen’s 12 points and Ashley Stec’s 10 points and seven rebounds. Iona resumes MAAC play Monday morning, when it travels to Quinnipiac for an 11:00 am tip.