LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ - The Iona College women's basketball team dropped its first game in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play this season, with a 92-90 overtime loss to Rider University Thursday evening at Alumni Gymnasium. The loss also snapped the Gaels' record 18 game winning streak.
Junior guard Aleesha Powell led the Gaels with a season high 27 points, connecting on eight field goals, including five from behind the arc to go along with a perfect six-for-six effort from the line. Powell also finished with a team high four steals and four assists.
Despite battling foul trouble throughout, junior guard Damika Martinez scored 20 points in 22 minutes of action before collecting her fifth personal in the second half. Martinez pushed her career scoring tally to 1,611 points, becoming just the third player in program history and 29th in MAAC history to eclipse the 1,600 point barrier.
Sophomore forward Joy Adams scored 23 points and grabbed 20 rebounds, her first career 20-20 effort. Sophomore forward Cassidee Ranger and sophomore guard Aaliyah Robinson each chipped in nine points off the bench while redshirt senior Haley D'Angelo had a game high six assists.
The Gaels trailed for most of the early first half, as a pair of free throws by Rider's MyNeshia McKenzie gave the Broncs a 9-2 lead with 16:20 remaining. Iona would answer with an 8-0 run, taking a 10-9 lead on a jumper by Powell with 12:25 left in the period.
With the Maroon & Gold ahead 17-16, Rider responded with a 6-0 charge, taking a 22-17 advantage on a layup by McKenzie. Iona then connected on seven straight to take a 24-22 lead before the Broncs knotted it at 24 with 5:47 remaining.
Rider pulled ahead with a 16-7 run, taking a 38-29 cushion on a Mikal Johnson three pointer with 51 seconds left in the half. Martinez connected on a three with 33 seconds on the clock to cut the deficit to six, 38-32, at the half.
Rider maintained the lead in the second half, until six straight Iona points tied the game at 43 with 16:10 remaining. The Gaels then scored seven of the next nine points to take a 50-45 lead with 14:59 left.
With the Maroon & Gold ahead 55-49, Rider came back with an 8-2 run to even the game at 57 on another Johnson three pointer. Iona took a 62-59 lead on a Powell trifecta before three straight points by the Broncs evened the game for the eighth time.
The teams would trade buckets as the game would be tied for the 11th time, 77-77, on a pair of Powell free throws with one minute on the clock. McKenzie then gave Rider a 80-77 lead on a three point play with 46 seconds remaining before Powell answered with a three pointer from deep with 27 ticks on the clock to send the game to overtime.
In the extra session, the Gaels took a two point lead on an Adams layup before another McKenzie three point play gave the Broncs an 83-82 lead with 2:59 remaining. Powell then gave the Maroon & Gold a one point lead, 84-83, with a pair of free throws with 2:48 on the clock.
On Rider's next trip down the floor, Johnson connected on a foul line jumper that gave the home team the lead for good. Johnson extended the lead to three with a layup, pushing Rider ahead 87-84. Adams cut the lead to two with a foul shot, before Manon Pellet gave Rider a four point advantage with a baseline jumper.
Powell got the Gaels within one with a three pointer, her fifth of the game, with 51 seconds remaining before McKenzie responded with a layup on the other end to move Rider ahead by three. The Gaels were then unable to even the game on their final two trips down the court.
McKenzie led the Broncs with 37 points and 19 rebounds. Lashay Banks scored 20 points off the bench while Johnson scored 14 for Rider.
Iona looks to get back on track Saturday afternoon, when it visits Manhattan for a 2:00 pm tip.
