Box Score PROVIDENCE, RI - Red shirt freshman Kyle Smyth's career-high 21 points was complemented by three other teammates in double figures in the Iona College men's basketball team's 83-72 win over Providence in non-conference action at the Dunkin Donuts Center. The win snapped the Gaels' five-game losing streak to BIG EAST opponents and was the first win since Dec. 27, 2001, a 73-70 win over Seton Hall at Madison Square Garden.

Iona never trailed in its nine-point win over the Friars. The Maroon & Gold jumped out to a 5-0 a little over two minutes into the game after junior Rashon Dwight drained a three-pointer on the team's first possession and Smyth followed with a driving layup at 18:53. Providence rallied to tie at 7-7 at the 15:28 mark. The Gaels responded with a seven point run on a second Dwight three and back-to-back Mike McFadden layups off the press break. The Friars cut their deficit to just one point with less than nine minutes to play in the half. After Marshon Brooks' hit a three pointer with 9:30 remaining, Iona held to just three field goals the rest of the frame. The Gaels took their largest lead of the half when sophomore Scott Machado's personal 6-0 run made the score 27-16 at the 5:27 mark. Providence again showed resiliency and a 10-1 run cut the lead again to a single point at 2:47. The two teams hit all 10 free throw attempts before halftime with Iona taking a 6-4 advantage and a three-point 33-30 lead into the break.

The Gaels came out in the second half the same way they began the first, scoring five points on its first two possessions. Iona allowed just a single free-throw and held a 38-31 lead at 18:57 left in the half. Providence would never get closer than two points in the half. Iona held the Friars without a field goal for over seven minutes and in the process built a 10-point lead. Senior Jonathan Huffman's three-pointer at 8:28 put the Maroon & Gold ahead 71-61. Iona did their job holding on to its lead by shooting 13-for-16 from the free throw line in the final five minutes of the game.

Smyth scored his 21 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field with two three pointers. He was 7-of-9 from the charity stripe and added a season-best seven rebounds in the win. Machado and Dwight each had 14 points. Machado converted four field goals and was 6-of-9 from the line. Dwight hit the two early three pointers and was 8-for-8 on free throw attempts. Both guards shared the team-lead with four assists. Huffman battled for 11 points including two dunks and a three pointer. He grabbed a season-best seven rebounds. Iona shot 48.0% from the field including a near 60% effort in the second half. The Gaels converted 29-of-38 free throw attempts while shooting more free throws than field goals in the final frame. The Maroon & Gold's defense was top notch holding the Friars to nearly 13 points under their season average and under 30% shooting up until the final 2:15 of the contest. Providence shot 30.8% for the game and were 5-for-31 (16.1%) from beyond the arc.

Iona continues non-conference action on Thursday night at home as they face Albany for the first time in history. The Gaels and Great Danes open up a home-and-home series that starts in New Rochelle.