NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The Iona College men’s basketball team dropped its second straight game to start the 2015-16 in a 93-73 defeat at Oregon State in non-conference action Gill Coliseum. Senior A.J. English scored 20 points to lead three Gaels in double-figures in the loss.
English connected on four three-point field goals and was 8-for-10 from the charity stripe while adding four rebounds and three assists. Sophomore Deyshonee Much had 15 points with three rebounds. He shot 5-for-9 from the field and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. He had four steals, three rebounds, two assists and a block in 23 minutes due to first half foul trouble. Senior Isaiah Williams had 11 points and four assists with a team-high six boards.
Senior Ibn Muhammad’s three-pointer from the corner with 6:59 remaining put the Gaels ahead 23-21. Iona would lead 25-23 on a tip-in by Williams just over two minutes later before an 18-4 Oregon State run over the final 4:34 gave the home team a lead it would not relinquish.
In the second half, the Maroon & Gold cut a 22-point deficit to 11 with a 17-6 run over a 4:34 span. Much’s three-pointer from the wing with 3:48 to play made the score 77-66. The Beavers answered with a three-ball of their own on the next possession to regain a 14-point lead and the Gaels would not get any closer than 13 the rest of the way.
Oregon State freshman Drew Eubanks scored 19 points to lead his team. He was 8-for-9 from the feild with five rebounds. Senior Gary Payton II had 12 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and four steals. Four other Beavers posted double-digit points in the win.
Iona returns to New Rochelle for its home opener Friday vs. Delaware with a 7:00 pm tipoff.