Box Score Andrew Kahn will be writing feature and postgame articles for Iona basketball for
ICGaels.com in the 2009-10 season. A New Rochelle High School
graduate, he holds an English degree from the University of Michigan
and currently works for the non-profit Dana Foundation. In addition to
his work for ICGaels.com, Andrew writes for his own blog,
www.TheSportsJournalists.com.
NEW ROCHELLE, NY - What a difference a month makes. The Iona College men's basketball team last lost a game on Jan. 4, a 77-65 defeat in Buffalo to Canisius. The Gaels returned the favor at the Hynes Athletics Center tonight, beating the Golden Griffins 72-53. Iona has now won eight straight, its longest streak since 2000.
Looking at the box scores from the two games, you wouldn't know this was the same Iona team. In Buffalo, the Gaels shot seven-for-30 from deep and let the Griffs get to the line a whopping 32 times. Tonight was a completely different story. Iona shot 47% to Canisius' 38%. Frank Turner, who scored 18 in the last match-up, only scored 11 and turned it over eight times.
Senior guard Milan Prodanovic, who hit two threes in 18 minutes of action said:
"There was a whole host of reasons as to why we wanted to win this game: getting back at Canisius because they beat us up there, our winning streak, and continuing to play better basketball throughout the season."
The Gaels have certainly been doing the latter since that loss and it's resulted in nothing but wins. Head coach Kevin Willard believes the most significant change has come on the defensive end.
"We've really changed our mindset on defense," Willard said. "I thought we were playing a little too passive the first time we played them. We wanted to be more aggressive and try to get the ball out of Turner's hands as much as possible."
Sophomore Jermel Jenkins continued to show why Willard believes he is one of the best on-ball defenders in the country, as he racked up an eye-popping seven steals. But it was forward Alejo Rodriguez who Willard praised after the victory. The junior recorded his second straight double-double, notching game highs in points (15) and rebounds (10).
"He really is the backbone to our team," Willard said of his veteran enforcer. "I think he's playing extremely aggressive on both ends… Everyone knows that he's back there to help out and he does a great job of stepping up and rotating and making a difference on defense."
Rodriguez echoed his coach's sentiments, believing that while Iona has played efficient offense, it's been the defense that has keyed the winning streak.
"We bought into the system and finally figured out that the best way for us to win is to play defense every night," Rodriguez said. "Offense comes and goes but as long as we play solid defense we'll be able to stay in every game."
Even when the Gaels' full-court press wasn't forcing turnovers, it was disrupting the Griffs offense and forcing them into tough shots. Canisius' Greg Logins scored 20 the last time these teams met. Tonight he managed only six.
Iona's offense wasn't too shabby either. Leading by 13 with just under six minutes remaining, Canisius had a final chance to make a run. But freshman Kyle Smyth hit two of his three treys, back-to-back daggers that put the game away for good.
The win sets up a huge game with Siena in Albany on Friday night, as the conference's top two teams square off. While Iona has its winning streak to brag about, Siena has the nation's longest at 13. All MAAC eyes will be on the Times Union Center, and the Gaels will certainly be ready.
"I can't tell you how much we're looking forward to it," Prodanovic said. "This is going to be the biggest game of the year so far. I think we need no further incentive, because I think everybody's just really juiced up for that."
NOTES: Prior to the contest, ESPN announced that Iona will take on William & Mary at the Hynes Center in the 2010 ESPNU Bracketbusters contest. The Gaels and Tribe will square off on Friday, Feb. 19 in a contest that will be aired on ESPNU at 9:00 pm. The game was selected as one of 11 of the 49 Bracketbusters pairings that will be televised... Iona's eight-game winning streak is the longest since winning nine straight from Jan. 19 - Feb. 16, 2000. The team that ended the streak... Siena, the Gaels next opponent. Iona won 14 of its last 15 contests that season, including three games in the MAAC Championship before falling to No. 3 seed Maryland in the NCAA Tournament... The team is tied for the seventh longest current winning streak in NCAA Division I, matching Syracuse and Morgan State. Siena holds the nation's longest at 13 straight heading into their contest with Iona on Friday night... The Gaels hit double-digits in the three-point field goal statistic for the seventh time this season and third time in the last five contests.
