Iona Erases 17-Point Deficit But Falls to Rider 72-68 in MAAC Play

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ (January 14, 2026) — The Iona University men’s basketball team erased a 17-point first-half deficit but could not complete the comeback in a 72-68 loss to Rider in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play at Alumni Gymnasium.

Rider led for the entire first half, building a 41-26 halftime advantage. The Broncs stretched the margin to 16-6 early and later pushed it to 37-21 with a 16-3 run. The lead reached 17 points before graduate student Lamin Sabally closed the half with a dunk.

The Gaels mounted a strong second-half rally. A 9-0 run featured three-pointers from graduate Luke Jungers and junior Denver Anglin, cutting the deficit to 56-54 with 7:23 remaining. Iona took its first lead at 62-60 on a corner three by graduate student Toby Harris with 4:36 left. Rider responded with a 12-6 closing run, going 3-for-4 from the field and 6-for-10 at the foul line.

Graduate student Toby Harris led four Iona double-figure scorers with 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting from three-point range. He added six rebounds and two assists.

Graduate student CJ Anthony contributed 14 points, nine assists, three rebounds and two steals.

Sabally posted 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting, adding three rebounds and two assists in 25 minutes limited by foul trouble.

Anglin scored 10 points with two assists, while Jungers went 3-for-3 from beyond the arc for nine points.

Junior Kosy Akametu pulled down five rebounds.

For Rider, Flash Burton led all scorers with 21 points on 6-for-11 shooting and 7-for-8 at the foul line, adding four assists. Zion Cruz scored 16 points, and Shemani Fuller recorded a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Caleb Smith added seven points and 13 rebounds.

Rider shot 46.2 percent from the field compared to 41.0 percent for Iona. The Broncs went 20-for-28 at the foul line while Iona finished 5-for-12. Rider held a 45-27 rebounding advantage, including 16-9 on the offensive glass, leading to an 18-8 edge in second-chance points.

Iona recorded 16 assists and a season-low four turnovers, holding a 20-5 advantage in points off turnovers.

The Gaels fell to 12-7 overall and 4-4 in the MAAC. Rider improved to 2-14 overall and 1-6 in conference play.

This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.