NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The Gaels have advanced to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship Tournament semifinals with decisive 64-47 win over the Siena College Saints.
Seniors led the way to victory for the Iona College women’s basketball program Friday afternoon; All-MAAC First Team Member Joy Adams scored 20 points and pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds, and Aaliyah Robinson lit it up from the outside, hitting five triples as part of her season-high 21 point scoring effort.
The first quarter tempo was controlled by the Maroon & Gold defense. Siena missed its seven shots from the field, allowing the Gaels to jump out to an early lead. At the end of the first quarter, Iona held a slight four point edge of the Saints, 11-7.
Head Coach Ali Jacques saw her Saints quickly tie the game up as the second frame got under way, however the one tie of the game wouldn’t last long. Robinson and Adams knocked down a pair of triples in the span of 40 seconds to carry a quick eight-nothing run. Siena called a timeout with eight minutes to go in the second; after that point, Iona held their opponent without a field goal for over four minutes.
Heading into the halftime break, Iona led Siena 33-22. Adams had 13 first half points on four-for-10 shooting. Junior Karynda DuPree and sophomore Philecia Gilmore carried Iona on the boards, each gathering six board in the opening twenty minutes.
At the onset of the third quarter, Robinson decided to take it upon herself to take the bark out of Siena’s bite. The second-ranked all-time three point shooter in Iona women’s basketball history hit three triples in the opening two minutes; her barrage from beyond the arc acted as the catalyst for Iona open up a 22 point lead, its largest of the game.
Over the final 15 minutes of the game, the closest Siena would get to the Gaels lead would be 13. The Saints were led by freshman Jackie Benitez; the All-MAAC Rookie selection scored nine points, shooting three-of-eight from the floor. Sophomore Denisha Petty-Evans scored eight points, and fellow second-year player Joella Gibson scored eight off the bench.
MAAC Co-Sixth Player of the Year Alexis Lewis scored four points, all coming in the fourth quarter. DuPree ended the game with four points and ten rebounds. Junior Marina Lizarazu scored 11 points while Gilmore led the team with five assists.
The Saints bench outscored Iona’s 20-11, due in large part to Benitez and Gibsons’ efforts. The Maroon & Gold outrebounded the Saints 44 to 33, scoring 14 second-chance points of 16 offensive boards.
Head Coach Billi Godsey saw her team hold an opponent to under 50 points for the seventh time this season, and ninth time in her tenure.
Iona will take on the winner of the No. 3 Marist / No. 6 Manhattan matchup on Saturday in the MAAC Tournament semifinals; that game is scheduled for Sunday, March 6 at 1:30 pm.