RIVERDALE, NY – Behind a dominant performance from the MAAC Preseason Player of the Year Marina Lizarazu, the Iona College women's basketball program is back on the winning track with its 76-62 victory against MAAC rival Manhattan.
Iona and Manhattan combined to hit nine of their first 12 shots in a high-scoring, back-and-forth opening quarter. Sophomore Alexis Lewis made a pair of three-pointers and led Iona scorers with seven quick points while Lizarazu caught fire near the end of the quarter hitting on the last three Gael baskets. In a period that saw seven lead changes, the Maroon & Gold ended up with a 19-16 lead.
The offensive momentum flowed into the second as Iona opened the frame on an 8-2 run. The classic trope of defense leading to offense proved it prowess with the Gaels holding Manhattan without a field goal till the 2:57 mark when Manhattan junior Sheridan Heine hit a triple from the right side. The Jasper basket sparked a mini 6-0 run for the Jaspers, bringing the hometown team back to within five.
Lizarazu took it upon herself to break the spell by closing out the quarter in style once again. She hit her first three-pointer of the game from the top of the key, and followed it up with a pair of isolation baskets to ensure that Head Coach Billi Godsey and her team walked into the locker room with a 36-29 lead.
Junior Kayla Grimme carried the Manhattan offense in the first half. She 6-for-7 from the floor, and had a game-high 14 points at the break. Lizarazu led the Gael attack with 13 points, all of which came in the final 3:30 of the first and second quarter.
Iona attempted 37 shots in first half compared to just 37 for Manhattan. Jaspers had 12 turns and allowed nine offensive rebounds that led directly to 21 points for the Maroon & Gold.
After trading baskets in the opening minutes of the third, Manhattan went on a 10-0 run and took a 47-45 lead with 2:55 to go. Lizarazu spelled the drought with a pair of free throws just 11 seconds later, and the two neighborhood rivals would enter the fourth quarter knotted at 49-49.
Junior Philecia Atkins-Gilmore started the fourth hitting back-to-back three-pointers, opening up a 55-49 lead. Lewis then capped off an 11-0 streak with a long range attack of her own from the right corner, forcing Manhattan to call timeout trailing 60-49.
Manhattan fought to bring its deficit down to seven points, but Iona was able to seal its fifth MAAC win of the year with free throws from Lizarazu, and sophomores Treyanna Clay and Lewis in the final minutes.
Lizarazu finished with a career-high 26 points on 10-for-17 shooting. Additionally, she chipped in with six assists and four rebounds. The Madrid, Spain native now has 1053 total career points, which ranks 23rd all-time on the Iona College history scoring list.
Lewis shot just 4-for-18, but still netted 17 points with six free throws and three three-pointers. She also collected a team-high nine rebounds. Atkins-Gilmore's final box read 16 points on 6-for-15 shooting. She hit three of her four triples in the fourth quarter.
Grimme led Manhattan with 21 points and nine rebounds. Freshman Gabby Cajou had six assists in limited minutes, and Guilton came off the bench to net 13 points.
76 points is the highest point total this season for the Maroon & Gold. The Gaels two highest points totals have both come against the Manhattan Jaspers.
The Gaels next game is this Sunday, Jan. 22 at 2 PM in the Hynes Center against the Monmouth Hawks.
To stay up to date on all things Iona women's basketball, follow the program on Twitter @IonaWBB, Instagram @Iona_WBB, and Facebook @IonaGaelsWBB.
