BROOKLYN, NY – The Iona College women's basketball team dropped its Saturday matinee at St. Francis Brooklyn, 72-63. Three-time MAAC Rookie of the Week Toyosi Abiola had a career-day and led Gael scorers with a personal-best 21 points.
Abiola also set new career-highs in field goals with nine and three-pointers with three. She also tied her personal-best with five rebounds, which she had previously recorded once against Temple back on Nov. 19.
Junior Alexis Lewis came off the bench for the second time this season and ended with 16 points on 6-for-13 shooting. She tied her season-best with four trifectas. Junior Treyanna Clay netted eight points and passed out a career-best seven assists.
In its highest scoring game of the season, Iona set new season-highs with 20 assists and a 52.8 field goal percentage.
The Maroon & Gold jetted out to its fastest offensive start with ABiola leading the way. She netted 10 points in the first quarter and Iona led St. Francis after the first quarter, 18-16. The Terriers rebounded in the second frame with a quick 7-0 spurt and three trifectas from senior Alex Delaney to take a 35-30 lead into the break.
The third quarter was a back-and-forth tussle that eventually tilted toward St. Francis Brooklyn in the final seconds when Delaney netted a buzzer-beating layup that pushed Terriers out in front by four come the start of the fourth.
The Maroon & Gold shot 53.3% in the fourth quarter but couldn't get over the hump in the final moments. St. Francis Brooklyn shot 64.3% in the final frame and pulled ahead for its tenth-ever win against Iona on the all-time series history.
Junior Maria Palarino netted a game-high 22 points on 7-of-9 shooting; she also had a game-high six rebounds. Delaney had 14 points and sophomore Jade Johnson put up 15. Palarino and Delaney each had five assists, and Johnson recorded five steals.
St. Francis Brooklyn used 13 offensive rebounds to score 13 second chance points. Iona was outrebounded 31-25.
Saturday afternoon's contest as the 30th all-time in the series history; Iona leads the all-time series 20-10.
The Maroon & Gold host Kansas for their final non-conference game of the season on Wednesday, Dec. 20 at 6 PM. Following that game, the Gaels begin Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play at Niagara on Saturday, Dec. 30.
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