NEW ROCHELLE, NY - Led by Kristina Ford's career-high 24 points, the Iona College women's basketball team scored a 79-55 victory over Loyola at the Hynes Center.  The Gaels (11-9, 4-5 MAAC) put an end to their previous two-game losing streak while the Greyhounds (8-10, 3-5 MAAC) have now dropped four consecutive decisions.

Thazina Cook and Tomica Bacic both had double-doubles for Iona.  For Cook (17 pts, 11 reb), it was her fourth of the season while the feat was a first for Bacic (11 pts, 10 reb).  Marissa Flagg added 12 points off the bench, and Suzi Fregosi led with six assists to go along with her seven points and five boards.

Siobhan Prior was the only Loyola player to score in double figures, leading her team with 20 points.

Trailing 19-15 with 9:51 to go in the first half, Iona went on a 7-0 run capped by five straight points out of Cook to take a 22-19 lead.  A three-pointer by Prior tied the game at the 7:33 mark before the Gaels scored the next nine points to lead 31-22. 

The Greyhounds pulled to within three with 49 seconds remaining in the opening half.  Fregosi knocked down a trifecta with 23 seconds on the clock and Jessica Scannell netted another long shot from the left corner to beat the buzzer, giving Iona a 37-28 heads-up heading into the locker room.

A 15-0 second-half run over a six minute time span turned a five-point Iona lead into a 20-point spread, which the squad then expanded to as much as 30 points with 4:23 left in the game.  With the Gaels ahead 79-51, Loyola scored the final four points to end the game with a 24-point margin.

Anda Ivkovic played eight minutes, recording two rebounds and one steal, before being taken off the court.  She was transported to the emergency room for what is believed to be dehydration.

Iona wraps up a three-game homestand on Sunday (Jan. 25), facing-off against Niagara at 2:30 pm.