Buffalo, NY - Anna McLean delivered her fourth straight double-double to lead the Iona College women's basketball team to its sixth consecutive win, a 65-45 victory over Canisius. Tiara Headen was the Gaels' top scorer at 15 points, followed by Thazina Cook who had 12 points and 11 boards. McLean's 11 points were complimented by a career-best 20 rebounds.
Iona (10-6, 4-1) took control of the game by scoring 10 consecutive points midway through the first half to turn a 15-14 lead into an 11-point advantage with 4:58 remaining in the first half. Four different Gaels scored during the run, as Headen and Anda Ivkovic each made 3-pointers during the stretch.
Canisius could never get closer than nine points the rest of the way as Iona controlled the boards. The Gaels outrebounded Canisius 61-29, which included 24 offensive boards. The 61 rebounds by Iona are the most by a Canisius opponent in the Koessler Athletic Center since Fairfield had 64 Feb. 19, 1995.
With the win, Iona marked its third straight 2-0 turnout in western NY.
The Maroon & Gold will face Marist on Jan. 18 in the first game of a double header at the Hynes Athletics Center, hoping that this time around the home court advantage will keep history from repeating itself. A season ago, it was Marist who ended Iona's six-game run with a 70-49 defeat in Poughkeepsie.
