STATEN ISLAND, NY - Freshman forward
Joy Adams finished with a near double-double, scoring a career high 21 points and pulling down nine boards as the Iona College women's basketball team snapped a four game losing streak with a 74-64 win over Wagner Saturday afternoon at Spiro Sports Center.
Early in the contest, the Gaels and Seahawks traded leads before a three-pointer by senior guard
Diana Hubbard with 12:04 remaining in the first half gave Iona a 16-13 advantage that the Gaels would hold onto the lead for the rest of the contest.
After a layup by Stephanie Blais of Wagner cut Iona's lead to one, 18-17, with 8:41 remaining, the Gaels answered with a 10-3 run, taking an eight point on a free throw by sophomore guard
Aleesha Powell with 5:08 left in the half.
Wagner scored the next seven points and cut the Gaels' lead to one, 28-27, after a layup by Ugo Nwaigwe with 2:24 remaining before Iona ended the half on a 5-3 run, holding a 33-30 lead at intermission.
Iona was able to extend it's lead to six, 38-32, on a layup by Adams early in the second half. After Wagner cut the lead to two, Iona went on an 14-4 run, with eight points from sophomore guard
Damika Martinez and a pair of three-pointers by freshman forward
Cassidee Ranger, who finished with three trifectas in the contest.
With the Gaels up 12, 52-40, Wagner would continue to fight, cutting the Iona lead to three, 52-49, after a three-pointer by Marie-Laurence Archambault. An 8-2 run was the response from the Gaels, with Hubbard knocking down another three-pointer with 6:40 remaining to give Iona a nine-point cushion and seal the victory.
Martinez finished with 17 points, five assists and two steals in the contest. Junior center
Sabrina Jeridore made her pressence known in the paint, blocking seven shots to go along with three points and two steals. Ranger scored in double digits for the first time in her career, finishing with 11 points in a contest in which the Gaels shot 48.1% from the field, inlcuding 44.4% from behind the arc.
Blais led Wagner with 19 points. Iona looks to continue its winning ways Wednesday, when they host Bryant at 7:00 pm at the Hynes Center.
