NEW ROCHELLE, NY - The Iona College women's basketball team suffered a tough loss at the hands of the Stony Brook Seawolves. Behind a career-high 15 points for redshirt sophomore
Monica Barefield, Iona hung tough until the very end. Freshman
Shyan Mwai's two chances at the buzzer clanked off the rim, giving Stony Brook the 53-51 win.
GAME SUMMARY
The two teams traded baskets back-and-forth in the first period. Shorty Johnson connected from beyond the arc three times to lead all scorers after one quarter.
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The Seawolves lost its leading scorer in the second quarter, after she injured her ankle. The Gaels proceeded to go on a 14-0 run, capped off by a
Morgan Rachu three-point basket. Iona closed out the first half leading 28-27.
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Stony Brook came out scorching hot to start the third quarter, forcing a timeout by head coach
Billi Chambers after a 9-0 run. Iona fought back to cut into the lead that was taken away, but entered the fourth frame trailing 45-37.
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Rachu hit a three to start the period, cutting the lead to five. Stony Brook scored six straight, four from the charity stripe, to extend its lead to 11. The Maroon & Gold continued to battle back, putting up eight unanswered of its own to make it a one-possession game. After two free throws from Johnson made it a five-point game, Rachu buried a three from the top of the key and forced a Stony Brook timeout. After two missed tries from the line by the Seawolves, Iona advanced the ball down to floor as quickly as possible. With time ticking down and no way to stop the clock, Mwai tried to create an opportunity offensively, just barely missing on two last-second attempts.
NOTABLE NUGGETS
- Redshirt sophomore Monica Barefield was 7-12 from the field and scored a career-best 15 points.
- Junior transfer Jodi-Marie Ramil matched her career-high, scoring six points on 3-3 shooting from the field.
- Freshman Gabrielle Joseph earned the first start of her career, posting three points and pulling down six rebounds, a new personal-best for the rookie.
- Junior transfer Morgan Rachu was back in double-digits, scoring 14 points while also grabbing eight rebounds.
- Johnson and Matthews combined to shoot 7-18 from three for Stony Brook accounting for all but one of the team's eight threes and more than half of the units 53 points.
- The Maroon & Gold were 20-56 from the field compared to 19-53 shooting by Stony Brook. The Seawolves had one less field goal made than Iona, but one more three-pointer made than the home team.
- Iona's 51 points was its second-highest scoring output as a team this season.Â
UP NEXT
Iona will have time off for finals week before returning to action at the Hynes Center against Fordham on Friday, Dec. 21. Tip-off will be at 12:00 p.m. in New Rochelle.
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