NEW ROCHELLE, NY – In a rematch of the 2016 MAAC championship, the Iona College women's basketball program picked up its fourth straight league win Saturday afternoon, defeating conference-leading Quinnipiac, 58-44.
In a game where both teams combined for 52 fouls, the Maroon & Gold defense clamped down for another defensive clinic. The Bobcats shot 29.6% from the floor, and 10.5% from beyond the arc. Quinnipiac even saw its struggles stretch to the charity stripe where it hit on just 10-of-25.
Iona started the game strong, jumping out to an early 12-4 lead midway through the first. Sophomore Alexis Lewis began a phenomenal game with 10 points and seven rebounds in the opening frame. Despite committing six turnovers in the quarter, Iona held a 16-8 lead over Quinnipiac.
The hot start continued into the second, annunciated by Lewis's third three-pointer of the game to give the Maroon & Gold a 23-10 lead. The Gaels defense didn't allow a Quinnipiac field goal over the final 8:04 of the half. The Bobcats missed their final 10 shots while senior Marina Lizarazu netted six straight to build a 29-13 lead heading into the break.
Lewis finished the first half with 15 points and 12 rebounds, already registering her league-leading seventh double-double of the season. Lizarazu had 10 points and two assists in the opening frames.
Defensively, Quinnipiac's 13 points scored and 20% field goal shooting were opponent lows in a half thus far this season. The Bobcats went 0-10 from the three-point line. The Gaels outrebounded the Bobcats 25-15, collecting eight offensive rebounds four seven second chance points.
RS-senior Adiliy Martucci broke Quinnipiac's field goal drought forty seconds into the third. The Bobcats got Iona out of its wits, keeping the Maroon & Gold to just 15.4% shooting throughout the quarter. Iona went without any points for over four minutes until Freshman Tori Lesko put back an offensive rebound at 3:58.
Foul trouble came to a mount at the start of the fourth. Lesko fouled out with 7:48 remaining, followed shortly by Lewis picking up her fifth with 6:37 left. Quinnipiac sophomores Paula Strautmane and Aryn McClure became disqualified with 4:09 and 2:40 on the clock, respectively.
With Lewis and Lesko out, Lizarazu embodied the Boston Celtics Isaiah Thomas and dominated down the stretch. She reigning MAAC Player of the Week scored 14 points in the final frame, including hitting eight free throws over the final three minutes.
Lewis finished with 22 points and a career-high 15 rebounds. She reached double-figures for the 18th time this season and the first in her last three games. Lizarazu netted 24 points, shooting 7-for-16 and 10-of-12 from the line. She dished out a team-best two assists and recorded one steal.
Quinnipiac was led by junior Sarah Shewan who had 10 points and six rebounds. McClure and Strautmane each had six rebounds before fouling out.
Iona shot 35.3% from the floor and 57.1% from beyond the arc. The Gaels outrebounded the Bobcats, 46-37.
Iona makes its second annual trip to western New York when it battles against Niagara on Thursday, Feb. 2, then Canisius on Saturday, Feb. 4.
