NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The Iona College women’s basketball program kicked off its 2015-16 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference season with a statement win, toppling Fairfield on the road at Alumni Hall, 56-46. The Gaels led from start-to-finish, holding the Stags to 28% shooting, and 25% from beyond the arc.
Senior Joy Adams showed the team atop the MAAC Preseason Coaches Poll why she was rightfully voted the conference’s Preseason Player of the Year; the Orlando, FL native finished the contest with 16 points and 23 rebounds for her third consecutive double-double effort. It is Adams’ third largest total for rebounds in a single game.
Junior Marina Lizarazu shot five for 11, scoring 12 points and registering four assists. Freshman Alexis Lewis came off the bench to supply 14 points on six of 11 shooting.
The Maroon & Gold came out of the gates quick, jumping out to a 15-3 lead in the first five minutes of the game. At the end of the first quarter, the Gaels held an 11 point lead, largely aided by Adam’s nine points-nine rebound effort in the opening frame.
At the conclusion of the first half, Iona’s entered the locker room with a 31-18 lead. Despite only hitting on two of their first 11 three-point attempts, the Gaels shot 42.4% during the first 20 minutes. Adams had 14 points and 14 rebounds playing every minute of the first two quarters.
Fairfield began the third quarter with all the energy they lacked to open the contest; a jumper from junior Kelsey Carey got the Stags to within two points at the 3:20 mark. That would be the closest that the Stags would get. The Gaels ended the third quarter on a 12-4 run to take a double-digit lead into the final 10-minute stretch.
The defense for the Gaels was stout all game long, but the fourth quarter proved to be the best defensive quarter of Iona’s young season. Fairfield would not register a proper field goal until senior Kristin Schatzlein hit a three with 1:36 remaining in the game. The bucket marked an over ten-minute stretch when Fairfield went on a brutal 0-13 shooting streak.
Iona shot 41% for the game, but still showed the need for improvement from beyond the arc, hitting on four of 19 shots. The struggle from beyond the arc was made up with a distinct 40 to 12 points-in-the-paint advantage. The Gaels also converted 11 Fairfield turnovers into 17 points.
Senior Karynda DuPree scored six points and pulled down 9 rebounds, and sophomore Philecia Gilmore scored five off the bench.
Schatzlein was the leading scorer for the Stags with 11 points, the lone player to register double-figures.
The Maroon & Gold will be at that Hynes Athletics Center this Friday at 7 PM when the Rider Broncs visit.