NEW ROCHELLE, NY – Senior Marina Lizarazu ensured that the Gaels closed out the 2016-17 Hynes Center season in dramatic season by netting a last-second game-winning layup to take down Saint Peter's, 51-50. The Gaels also extend their winning streak over the Peacocks to 18 straight games.
Junior Sajanna Bethea made her ninth basket of the game with five seconds remaining that gave the Peacocks a 50-49 lead. Head Coach Billi Godsey called timeout and advanced the ball to set up the game-winning Maroon & Gold possession. Lizarazu got the inbound pass from junior Kristin Mahoney, drove the left side, and put home the clinching layup over the contesting defender.
The 2016-17 MAAC Preseason Player of the Year finished the game with 17 points, five assists and four rebounds. Sophomore Alexis Lewis ended the game with a game-high 25 points on 9-of-21 shooting; she pulled down 10 rebounds for her league-leading tenth double-double of the season.
Saint Peter's opened the game on a quick 6-0 spurt as the Gaels missed their first seven shots from the floor. The opening trend continued throughout the first with Iona shooting 2-for-12 in the frame. The Peacocks led the Gaels 13-7 at the close of one. The seven total points in a quarter is the third-lowest in a single-quarter thus far this season.
After hitting six of their first 10 shots, the Peacocks remained sizzling from the floor, finishing the first half shooting 44%. In comparison, the Maroon & Gold connected on 30% of their shots, and just 1-of-9 from long range in the first half.
The Gaels trailed 26-23 at halftime. Lewis had 10 points at the break for Iona while freshman Zoe Pero had a game-high 11 for the Peacocks. Bethea had eight points and five rebounds.
Senior Karynda DuPree missed three straight shots to begin the second half as Bethea torched the Gaels with seven straight points. Coach Godsey called her first timeout less than three minutes into the third quarter with the Peacocks up 33-23.
After trading baskets as the third progressed, the Gaels entered the fourth quarter trailing by nine.
With the final frame came a new wave of urgency from coach Godsey and her team. DuPree made her first basket 1:32 in the fourth, bringing Iona to within five. With momentum beginning to swing the Maroon & Gold Way, Lewis knocked down her third triple of the game to bring Iona within two, 41-39, with 7:40 remaining.
Lizarazu tied the game for the first time since the opening tip with a pair of free throws at 6:26. The cataclysmic swing climaxed with Lewis giving Iona a 44-41 lead on her eighth basket of the game at 5:45.
From there the final act begun to take place, beginning with Pero tying the game at 44. DuPree gave the Gaels a three-point lead with 1:59 left, but back-to-back baskets by freshman Sammy Lochner and Bethea forced Lizurazu to pull through with her heroic efforts.
Lewis and Lizarazu combined to score 42 of the Gaels 51 total points. DuPree finished with four points, freshman Amelia Motz netted two, and sophomore Treyanna Clay added on three.
Junior Philecia Atkins-Gilmore took the court for the first time since Feb. 4 at Canisius; she played seven minutes, attempting one field goal. Mahoney came off the bench and dispensed three assists.
Bethea scored 19 points to lead Saint Peter's. She and Pero each had a team-high nine rebounds along with freshman Brianna Tarabocchia.
Iona wraps up the regular season in Albany, NY at the Times Union Center on Sunday, Feb. 26 against Siena. You can watch the Gaels battle the Saints live on ESPN3 at 1 PM.
