NEW ROCHELLE, NY - The Iona College men's basketball team withstood a late Siena run in a 69-65 win over the Saints in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action in front of a capacity crowd at the Hynes Athletic Center. Siena (10-14, 7-7 MAAC) cut a 12-point deficit with 2:13 left to three points with under a minute to play as the Gaels (15-10, 9-5 MAAC) snapped their 10-game losing streak to the visitors with the win.

Junior Mike Glover led Iona with 22 points while grabbing six boards and recording four steals in the contest. Junior Jermel Jenkins earned the start and hit five three-pointers in his 19-point, four-assist effort. Seniors Rashon Dwight and Alejo Rodriguez posted eight points apiece. Rodriguez grabbed 10 rebounds for the second straight game.

Iona scored the first eight points of the game and built a double-digit lead less than seven minutes in to the contest on a Rodriguez layup of a Scott Machado feed. After sophomore Kyle Smyth buried a three-pointer at the 7:25 mark to put Iona ahead 24-14. A 10-2 Siena run cut the lead to two points at 5:03 and the Saints knotted the score at 32-32 with 1:29 to go in the half. A Rodriguez layup on the Gaels final possession gave the Maroon & Gold a two-point lead at the break.

Siena senior Clarence Jackson tied the score at 40-40 less than five minutes into the half. Iona scored eight straight over the next five minutes to build a 48-40 advantage. Dwight's three-pointer at 5:43 put the Gaels ahead 58-45, the largest lead of the game for the home team. A Jenkins jumper gave Iona a 64-52 lead with 2:13 to play. Sophomore Jonathan Breeden capped a 7-0 run for the Saints and cut the Gaels' lead to five with 70 seconds remaining. A 5-for-10 performance from the free throw line by Iona in the final minute allowed Siena to get within three points on two occasions before time expired.

Breeden shot 10-of-14 from the field in his career-high 24 point effort for the Saints. Jackson added 14 points with the help of four threes while senior Ryan Rossiter posted a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds. The Gaels limited Siena's leading scorer to just 2-for-7 from the field.

The Saints outshot the Gaels 46.7% to 41.7% while the two teams matched each other with 34 rebounds each. The difference in the game was in the turnover column as Siena committed 18 to Iona's 11. The Gaels converted 18 points of Saint turnovers in the contest.

Iona snapped its 10-game losing skid to the Saints dating back to the 2005-06 campaign. It was also the first win over Siena at home since 2005.

The Gaels are back in action on Sunday (Feb. 13) when they travel to Poughkeepsie, NY to take on Marist at 4:00 pm. Its the first of a four-game road trip for the Maroon & Gold before returning home for senior day on Feb. 27.

Score by Periods                1st  2nd   Total
Siena.........................   32   33  -   65
Iona College..................   34   35  -   69