Box Score ALBANY, NY - The Iona College men's basketball team erased a 14-point second half deficit only to suffer its fourth one-point loss of the season in a 69-68 hearbreaker vs. Siena in MAAC play at the Times Union Center. Senior Gary Springer gave the Gaels (10-11, 5-5 MAAC) a one-point lead with 16 seconds to play but an Edwin Ubiles jumper with 4.2 on the clock gave the Saints (16-5, 10-0 MAAC) the decisive advantage.

Iona erased two double-digit deficits in the contest. In the first half, Siena raced out to a 12-0 lead through the first 3:30 of the game. The Gaels fought their way back with a 18-5 run over the next 6:08. Freshman Scott Machado connected on a long distance shot to give the Maroon & Gold an 18-17 lead midway through the first frame. The Saints quickly regained their shooting touch as a 13-2 run gave the home team a 10-point lead with 5:55 left. The two teams traded turnovers and buckets and Siena took a 42-31 lead into the break.

The Saints continued to hold on to their double-digit cushion through the first eight minutes of the second half. Leading 55-43 at the 11:56 mark, the Gaels sprinted to a 13-2 run to cut the lead to just one point. Machado again knocked down a big three pointer to make the score 57-56 with 7:53 on the clock. A little more than three minutes later, rookie Jermel Jenkins drained a trifecta from the wing and tied the score at 61-61.

Siena senior Kenny Hasbrouck scored the next three buckets on tough, contested shots. The Gaels only answer was two free throws by senior Devon Clarke as the Saints held a four-point leas with less than a minute to play. Senior Devon Clarke's conventional three-point play put Iona down two with 35 ticks on the clock. Clarke fouled Siena junior Ronald Moore as the Gaels pressed looking for a turnover. Moore missed the front end of a one-and-one opportunity giving the Gaels a chance to take the lead on the final possession. Machado found Springer open underneath for the go ahead bucket with 16 ticks left. The Gaels continued to their tight defense on the Saints on their final turn. Moore slipped and quickly regained control of the ball and timeout was called from the bench before Jenkins was able to tie up Moore for an jump ball. With eight seconds left, the inbound went to Edwin Ubiles. Taking advantage of an Iona defender that slipped on a screen, Ubiles canned an eight footer from the baseline to tally the game winner. With four seconds remaining, Iona was unable to get a legitimate scoring chance and time expired.

Machado led the Gaels with 16 points and eight assists. He shot 6-of-16 from the field and hit 2-of-3 from behind the arc. Junior Jonathan Huffman posted 15 points and hit two long three point attempts during his squad's second half comeback effort. Springer just missed a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds, five coming off the offensive glass.

Hasbrouck had a Siena-high 16 points, while Ubiles posted 15. Sophomore Ryan Rossiter had 10 points and 12 boards in the win.

The Gaels completed a successful stint away from the Hynes Center with three wins in five contests. Iona returns to New Rochelle on Saturday (Jan. 31) when they take on Saint Peter's in a nationally televised ESPNU tilt. Be advised of the 6:00 pm TV-tip next weekend.