SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – The Iona College women's basketball team struggled against one of the nation's best defenses in a 65-34 loss on Thanksgiving Day. The Washington Huskies limited the Gaels to single-digit point totals in three of the four quarters en route to the win.

GAME SUMMARY

Morgan Rachu opened up the contest with a corner three on a good offensive possession that gave the Gaels an early 3-2 lead. Washington held a 6-3 advantage at the first media timeout at the midway point of the first frame.
 
The Huskies scored on two straight possessions out of the break to extend its lead, but a Rachu triple cut into that lead slightly. Paulla Weekes got a shot to go on the Maroon & Gold's final possession of the quarter, making it a 15-9 game going into the second quarter.
 
Iona could not trim the Washington lead much; the Huskies had an answer nearly every time the Gaels scored. De'jah Williams lined up for three free throw attempts after being fouled near the end of the shot clock. She converted on two of three and again trimmed Iona's deficit to six points with seven minutes to play in the opening half.
 
Washington strung baskets together and built upon its lead, forcing multiple Gael turnovers with a strong full-court press. Head coach Jody Wynn called a timeout in the final 30 seconds of the period after a made basket gave her side a 35-20 advantage. Shyan Mwai's shot at the buzzer was heavily contested and never made it to the rim, sending the Gaels into the locker room facing a double-digit point deficit.
 
Weekes ended nearly a three-minute scoring drought for both sides with a reverse layup inside to open up the scoring in the second half. Washington followed that up with a wide-open three that Khayla Rooks buried. Rooks would be the benefactor of two more uncontested looks from behind the arc, which she connected on. The latter of the three triples forced an Iona timeout and gave the Huskies a 50-25 lead. 
 
Washington would conclude the quarter on a 12-0 run and take a 28-point lead into the final frame. The Huskies held Iona to just two made baskets in the third quarter.
 
Rachu buried a triple to open the fourth quarter, but the Huskies came right down and answered with a bucket inside. The Gaels were in the bonus at the 6:00 mark of the final quarter; Juana Camilion converted on both tries from the free throw line and the Iona press created a Washington turnover that led to a Rachu three. The Huskies turned that around and on the other end converted on a three-point play the old fashioned way to make it a 60-34 game. 
 
Rooks' fifth triple of the afternoon extended the Huskies' lead to 29 points with four minutes to play. Washington scored the final five points of the game and handed Iona its fourth consecutive loss.

STATISTICAL LEADERS

• Rachu was the only Maroon & Gold point scorer to finish in double figures, scoring 12 points.
• Rachu pulled down a game-high eight rebounds, finishing two boards shy of a double double.
• Camilion dished out five of Iona's ten assists. 
• Mwai and Jodi-Marie Ramil both registered a block in the loss.
• Williams and Monica Barefield had one steal apiece.

NOTABLE NUGGETS

• Iona's highest scoring quarter was the second, in which the offense registered 11 points. 
• The Gaels were 6-20 from behind the arc and 6-11 at the charity stripe as a unit.
• The Huskies limited the Maroon & Gold to five points on 2-13 shooting in the third quarter.
• 34 points is Iona's lowest scoring output this season and its lowest total since it scored 33 in a loss at Manhattan last season.

UP NEXT

Iona faces Towson tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 p.m. (EST) in the second of two games for the Gaels at the 2019 Puerto Rico Clasico.

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