AMHERST, MA - The Iona College men's basketball team erased a double-digit second half deficit but was unable to hang on in an 87-82 defeat to Massachusetts in non-conference play at the Mullins Center. Senior David Laury and junior A.J. English both had double-doubles in the loss. With just over eight minutes to play in the first half, Laury became the 35th men's basketball player in school history to record 1,000 points.

The two teams traded blows through the first nine minutes of the contest with four ties and six lead changes. Sophomore Ryden Hines' put back at the 11-minute mark knotted the score at 23-23. UMass' Trey Davis hit a three ball on the next possession to give the home team the lead they would not relinquish for the next 19 minutes of the contest. The Minutemen led by as many as nine points in the frame before a nifty hook and ladder sideline out of bounds play between Hines and junior Isaiah Williams as time expired made the score 46-40.

Davis broke the double-digit barrier just over eight minutes into the second half as a three-ball put UMass ahead 67-56 with 11:54 on the clock. After trading buckets and following the under-12 minute media time out, the Gaels erupted for 11 straight points and tied the score in less than four minutes after a conventional three-point play by Williams with 8:02 remaining. UMass scored on its next turn and rookie Schadrac Casimir drained a three-pointer with 7:38 to give Iona its first lead since early in the first half.

Trailing by one with 7:25 to play, the Gaels scored six straight to take a 78-73 lead following junior Ibn Muhammad's three pointer from the right corner. The advantage was erased within 25 seconds as Davis hit back-to-back jumpers and Jabarie Hinds stole an inbounds pass and converted a layup to put UMass ahead by one with 4:20 remaining. Trailing by three with less 17.7 remaining, a Gael turnover led to a breakaway dunk by Donte Clark and all but sealed the game for the Minutemen.

Laury finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds, adding three assists, two blocks and a steal. It was his sixth double-double in his last eight appearances. English scored 16 points and had 12 assists to just one turnover for his second double-double of the year. He posted five rebounds and two steals. Casimir chipped in 12 points and four rebounds with two steals and three three-point field goals. Williams had 11 points, Hynes added seven and junior Kelvin Amayo had nine points and six rebounds in the loss.

Davis led five Minutemen in double figures with a game-high 25 points. He torched the Gaels for 10-of-11 shooting and 5-of-6 from beyond the arc while adding seven assists and three rebounds. Derrick Gordan had 19 points, leading scorer Maxie Esho posted 11 points and Hinds and Cady Lalanne had 10 points apiece.

UMass out shot Iona 51.6%-43.7%. The Gaels held a 19-16 assist advantage and the rebounding margin was even at 38-38.

Iona completes the 2014 portion of its schedule with an 8-5 overall mark and 7-4 vs. non-conference opponents. The heart of the MAAC slate begins Sunday (Jan. 4) when the Gaels travel to Albany, NY and take on rival Siena at the Times Union Center.