JERSEY CITY, NJ – The Iona College women's basketball program defeated the Saint Peter's Peacocks Monday evening by a final score of 65-51; with the win, the Gaels vault over the .500 overall record mark, and move to 4-0 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play.
Senior Joy Adams came out of the gates red-hot, scoring 14 points in the opening quarter on seven of ten shooting. The reigning MAAC Player of the Week ended the game tying a season-high with 23 points in addition to ten rebounds; it is her third consecutive double-double, and eighth overall on the season.
The Gaels dominated the opening quarter as a whole, scoring 26 points and opening up an early 11 point advantage.
The second quarter was a struggle for Iona and Saint Peter's; combined, the two offenses scored just eleven points. The Maroon & Gold hit 12 of their 17 shots in the first period, but just two of their 16 attempts in the following quarter; their shooting percentage dropped from 70.6% after the opening ten minutes, to 42.4% entering the locker at halftime.
Turnovers, or lack thereof, was a key to Iona building a 32-20 lead entering the break. The Gaels gave the ball away just five times in the first half, but failed to hold up the consistency in the second half, ending the game with 16 overall.
Saint Peter's scored 11 points off of Iona's turnovers, and the Gaels were able to score 26 points off of the Peacocks 20 possession gifts.
Junior Marina Lizarazu scored 11 of her 17 total points in the second half. The Madrid, Spain native shot an effective seven-for-11 from the floor, including one three-point field goal.
Freshman Alexis Lewis came off the bench are scored eight points and boarded eight rebounds. Sophomore Philecia Gilmore put in six points, and senior Aaliyah Robinson chipped in five; each hit one long range field goals.
Overall, the Gaels shot 44.2% from the floor, 36.4% from beyond the arc, and 78.9% from the free throw line.
Saint Peter's had two players in double-figures; Sophomore Talah Hughes tallied 14 points off the bench, and sophomore Sajanna Bethea scored a team-high 16. Senior Rebecca Sparks dished out a game-high seven assists.
Iona's next game will be Thursday, Jan. 7 at home versus the Marist Red Foxes. The contest will be aired on ESPN3.com, tipoff set for 5 PM.
