NEW ROCHELLE, NY — For the second straight game, the Iona College men’s basketball team never trailed, but had to hang on late in a 75-67 win at Saint Peter’s in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action at the Yanitelli Center. The Gaels built a 20-point advantage midway through the second half and withstood a Peacock charge that saw the lead go down to within five points in the final 30 seconds of the contest.
Senior A.J. English posted 21 points, seven rebounds five assists and two steals to lead the Gaels. Sophomore Deyshonee Much had 14 points and five boards, while junior Jordan Washington added 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds and two blocks in the win.
Saint Peter’s was led by 19 points from junior Quadir Welton. Juniors Trevis While and Elisha Boone added 15 points apiece. For Boone it was a career-high. The Gaels held the Peacock’s leading scorer, rookie Antwon Portley to just two points on 1-for-10 shooting on the night.
Iona out shot Saint Peter’s 48.3%-41.4% and held a 41-34 advantage on the boards.
The Maroon & Gold led by as many as 17 in the first half following an English three ball with 2:55 to play that made the score 39-22. The Peacocks scored five of the final seven points of the half to trail 41-27 at the break.
After Saint Peter’s pulled within double-digits at the 15:36 mark of the second, a 12-1 Gael run, capped by freshman Jahaad Proctor’s layup off his classmate Rickey McGill’s steal put the score at 59-39 with 10:44 left in the contest. The Peacocks chipped away and trailed by 10 at the 1:38 mark. After three straight front-end one-on-one misses, the Gaels’ lead was down to six with less than a minute to play. Iona regrouped on the line in the final 32 seconds, with Williams and graduate Aaron Rountree sinking five of their last six attempts and made two defensive stops to seal the win.
Iona continues action on the road when it makes its annual Western New York trip this weekend. The Gaels face Canisius Friday night on ESPN3 at 7:00 pm before a date with Niagara Sunday at 2:00 pm.