WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – A classic case of déjà vu: Juana Camilion's late game heroics help Iona steal a win away from Monmouth at the OceanFirst Bank Center. For the second straight season, Camilion's basket was the difference maker, today it propelled the Maroon & Gold to a 36-33 victory.

GAME SUMMARY

The game opened up with no points over the first 1:54 of action before Tori Lesko's basket made it 2-0 Iona. The Gaels would hold that advantage for all of 14 seconds; Monmouth followed with an 8-0 scoring run and would carry an 8-5 advantage into the game's first media break. Morgan Rachu made her return to the floor for the first time since December 21 against UMass, nailing a triple on her first attempt.
 
The quarter's final basket came from Lesko. After a steal on the defensive end, Monica Barefield pushed the ball up the court in transition and found Lesko on a back-door cut for the lay in. Lesko was fouled and converted on the three-point play to trim Iona's deficit to four points heading into the second quarter.
 
The second quarter was less than desirable for each side. The two teams combined to shoot 3-30 from the field for a total of seven points. Lucy Thomas' layup inside was Monmouth's first and only basket of the period, seven minutes and 21 seconds into play. 
 
Iona once again turned defense into offense late in the frame, allowing Shyan Mwai a fast break layup that she finished in the final seconds. Iona trailed 14-13 entering the locker room at the midway point of the game.
 
Lesko opened up the scoring in the second half, beating her defender to the baseline and putting in the reverse layup to give the Gaels their first lead since her bucket to begin the game. Monmouth proceeded to rip off 11 straight points and hold the Maroon & Gold scoreless for over six minutes, building up a double-digit lead.
 
De'jah Williams scored on back-to-back possessions for Iona, cutting Monmouth's lead to 25-19. Barefield and Mwai connected on trifectas in the final 36 seconds of the quarter, making it a one-possession game heading into the fourth quarter.
 
With the Hawks barely clinging onto their 27-25 lead, Barefield hit two more three-pointers to turn the tables and give Iona a 31-27 lead, the team's largest of the game at that point. A Monmouth free throw made it a one-possession affair once more, but Barefield hit a turnaround jumper at the right elbow, her eighth point of the quarter, to push Iona ahead by five points.
 
Monmouth would hold Iona scoreless for the next three minutes however, and Rosa Graham's three-pointer tied the game at 33 apiece with two minutes remaining in regulation. 
 
Juana Camilion drove towards the hoop and put home a layup in the final minute of play to give the Maroon & Gold the lead. The sophomore's bucket would seal the game for Iona, helping the Gaels improve to 2-1 in league play.

STATISTICAL LEADERS

• Graham finished with a game-high 12 points in a losing effort. Barefield's 11 points were a team-best and a new season-high for the junior.
• Alexa Middleton pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds, the only player to finish with double-digit boards. Barefield, Camilion and Lesko had a team-high six rebounds.
• Barefield's four assists were the high mark of the afternoon.
• Defensively, Rachu had a game-best three steals and Middleton swatted four shots.

NOTABLE NUGGETS

• The Maroon & Gold held the Hawks to two or fewer field goals and under 10 points in two quarters today. Monmouth shot 1-13 in a two-point second quarter and 2-10 in a six-point fourth frame.
• The Gaels forced 18 Monmouth turnovers, registering seven steals and converting those takeaways into 13 points.
• Barefield led the charge off of the bench for Iona, registering 11 of Iona's 23 bench points. The Hawks' reserves managed just one point on 0-8 shooting from the floor.
• Iona limited Monmouth to just two points in the second quarter. The Hawks only points of the period came on a Lucy Thomas layup at the 2:40 mark. The two sides shot a combined 3-30 in the second quarter and totaled seven points.
• Monmouth shot 11-46 (23.9%) from the field, the lowest field goal percentage for an Iona opponent this season.
• Iona improves to 21-1 under head coach Billi Chambers in games in which they hold the opponent under 50 points and 36-5 when holding the opposition under 35% shooting.
• The Gaels' 36 points is the program's second-lowest scoring output in a victory. Iona topped Saint Peter's 33-25 back on January 18, 1975. 
• The 69 points between the two sides is the lowest combined scoring output in MAAC regular season history.

AROUND THE MAAC

• Marist rolled to a 94-67 victory over Niagara. The Red Foxes have scored 90+ points in three consecutive games.
• Siena narrowly edged Canisius, 68-63, behind 36 combined points from Amari Anthony and Margo Peterson. 
• Fairfield downed Saint Peter's 67-48 in Connecticut. The Stags are now 3-0 in league play.

UP NEXT

The Gaels will return home to the Hynes Athletics Center to host the Niagara Purple Eagles on Thursday, January 16 at 7:00 p.m. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN+.

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