Box Score NEW ROCHELLE, NY - The Iona College men's basketball team opened up the game with a 13-4 run and never looked back in a 64-47 win over Niagara in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action at the Hynes Center tonight. The Gaels (12-6, 4-3 MAAC) picked up their third straight win and have won eight of their last 10 since starting the conference season with two home losses.

The Maroon & Gold led by as many as 19 points in the first half when freshman Keon Williams jump hook off a sweet feed from sophomore Scott Machado made the score 33-14 at the 5:42 mark. The Purple Eagles (10-9, 3-4 MAAC) got to within 11 points but three Gael free throws in the final 90 seconds pushed their halftime lead to 40-26.

Niagara pushed the score within 10 points on two occasions including a 46-37 deficit at the 12:37 mark after junior Anthony Nelson's transition layup. Sophomore Jermel Jenkins hit a three-pointer in the corner and senior Milan Prodanovic converted a conventional three-point play to push the margin back to 15 points with 11:15 to play. Iona held the double-digit advantage the rest of the way, matching its game-high of 19 on a Prodanovic jumper at 3:28.

Machado and junior Alejo Rodriguez led the way with 12 points a piece. Machado dished out four assists and had four rebounds in 33 minutes of play. Rodriguez shot 6-of-7 from the field in 15 minutes due to foul trouble. After being held scoreless in his last four appearances, Prodanovic broke out for an 11-point effort draining two three pointers. Senior Jonathan Huffman's six rebounds off the bench led the Gaels.

Nelson scored 15 points with the assistance of a 7-for-10 performance from the free throw line. Senior Tyrone Lewis had 10 points while the Maroon & Gold held the Purple Eagles' No. 2 scorer on the season, Bilal Benn, to just three points in the win.

Iona held its opponent to just 28.0% shooting from the field and out rebounded them 38-36.

The Gaels are back in action at the Hynes Center on Monday night in a MAAC rematch with Rider at 7:30 pm. The game is the nightcap of a doubleheader with the women's squad, who takes on Saint Peter's at 5:00 pm.