NEW ROCHELLE, NY - In an exciting season opener at the Hynes Athletics Center, the Iona College women's basketball team was narrowly edged by Arizona, 75-70, in the Iona Tip-Off Tournament.  The Gaels (0-1) battled back from a 21-point second half defecit to force overtime with a game-tying basket with just seconds to go in regulation.

Arizona (1-0) led 38-21 at halftime and scored the first four points of the second half to take its largest lead of the night, 42-21, at the 19:08 mark.  Iona chipped away through the entire period, kicking off the comeback with a trifecta by Anda Ivkovic. 

The Wildcat advantage was dwindled down to ten points with just over ten minutes on the clock following a 17-6 Gael run.  Down 60-50 with 3:38 to go in the half, the Maroon & Gold scored ten unanswered points.  A Thazina Cook layup began the run and Catherine Lutz followed with back-to-back three pointers to help Iona pull to within two with 30 seconds remaining. 

Cook grabbed the rebound on a missed free throw shot by Arizona's Ashley Frazier with 15 seconds left in regulation.  Suzi Fregosi brought the ball down court and dished it to Ivkovic, who dropped it through the net to knot the score at 60-all with nine seconds to spare.

The Wildcats scored first in overtime on a three point field goal by Davellyn White and never relinquished the lead en route to the 75-70 final.

Anna McLean led the Gaels with a double-double, posting 22 points and 19 rebounds on the night.  Lutz finished with 17 points and knocked down five threes while Ivkovic was also in double figures with 14 points.  Whyte led all players with 27 points for Arizona and Ify Ibekwe had a game-high 22 boards.

The Gaels conclude tournament play with a 3:30 pm tilt against Bucknell on Sunday.