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Iona University Athletics

De'jah Williams
IonaGaels.com
75
Winner Iona ION 2-8, 1-0 MAAC
71
Quinnipiac QUI 3-7, 0-1 MAAC
Winner
Iona ION
2-8, 1-0 MAAC
75
Final
71
Quinnipiac QUI
3-7, 0-1 MAAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Iona ION 19 17 25 14 75
Quinnipiac QUI 17 20 14 20 71

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Jack Clark

Iona Victorious Over Quinnipiac to Begin League Play

Sophomore De’jah Williams poured in a career-best 20 points to snap an eight-game skid for the Maroon & Gold and open up league play with a victory.

HAMDEN, CT – The Iona College women's basketball team knocked off the three-time defending MAAC Champion Quinnipiac Bobcats, 75-71, on Thursday night. Sophomore De'jah Williams poured in a career-best 20 points to snap an eight-game skid for the Maroon & Gold and open up league play with a victory.

GAME SUMMARY

The Gaels stormed out of the gates in the league opener, grabbing an early 9-5 lead. Iona led 13-10 at the first media timeout of the game, thanks to seven early points from Williams. 
 
The Bobcats settled into their offense out of the break, eventually grabbing their first lead at the 1:44 mark of the frame. The home team held the advantage for just seven seconds before Williams connected on a triple for the Maroon & Gold. Iona took a 19-17 lead into the second quarter.
 
The second quarter was a back-and-forth affair between Iona and Quinnipiac. The lead changed over four times in the opening three-and-a-half minutes. A triple from Monica Barefield put the Gaels on top right before the media timeout. 
 
Things slowed down offensively after the timeout, but Quinnipiac found themselves within three points with 3:22 to play after a couple of free throws from Paige Warfel. Iona answered with a beautiful tic-tac-toe pass from Tori Lesko to Juana Camilion to Williams for a layup inside at the 2:07 mark. The Bobcats would hold the Gaels scoreless for the remainder of the frame and scored seven straight points to grab a 37-36 lead at the half.
 
The lead changed hands at the beginning of the second half, then Paulla Weekes' corner three made it 41-37 in favor of the Maroon & Gold. A Warfel jumpshot at the 6:15 mark gave the Bobcats the lead once more. Iona responded with seven straight points, retaking the lead. The advantage grew to double-digits, the largest such lead of the game, on Shyan Mwai's three-pointer in the waning seconds of the period. 
 
Quinnipiac hung around for the majority of the fourth quarter, despite finding themselves down by 12 early on. Camilion hit the front end of a pair of free throws out of the first media break of the quarter to give Iona a 64-55 lead with just under seven minutes to play.
 
Quinnipiac scored two straight baskets before Weekes sunk a shot and sent Iona into the final media stoppage of the game holding a seven-point advantage. The Maroon & Gold held the Bobcats without a point for three minutes before Mackenzie DeWees made two free throws. Iona still led 66-61, with under three minutes left in regulation. The Gaels won the battle of free throws, twice extending their lead to double-figures and cruising to the 75-71 victory in Connecticut.

STATISTICAL LEADERS

  • Williams scored a game-high and career-best 20 points. The sophomore knocked down 9-15 shots from the floor, including two triples.
  • Lesko pulled down a game-best nine rebounds and added nine points.
  • Camilion finished with a game-high seven assists. She also registered a new career-best seven steals and two blocks.

NOTABLE NUGGETS

  • Iona had lost its previous five contests to Quinnipiac. The win was the team's first over the Bobcats since January 28, 2017 and the first in Hamden since February 27, 2014.
  • The win snapped Quinnipiac's 52-game conference winning streak. That mark stood as the 10th longest win streak in the history of Division I women's basketball.
  • Iona is just the second team to beat Quinnipiac on its home court in the last 51 contests there.
  • The Gaels' 75 points marks the team's best scoring output of the season. The team's 36 points at halftime was it's highest of the year as well.
  • The Maroon & Gold nearly shot 50 percent from the field, connecting on 28-57 field goals. Iona hit on 10-13 from the charity stripe as a unit, eight of which came in the final frame.
  • Iona shot a blistering 57 percent from the floor over the first three quarters, including a 75 percent mark in the third quarter.
  • The Gaels nearly led wire-to-wire, holding an advantage for 36+ minutes of game action.
  • As a unit, Iona outscored Quinnipiac in points off turnovers, fast break points and bench points.
  • Lucia Becerra Perez started and played 25 minutes before fouling out. The rookie finished with four points, five rebounds and three assists.

AROUND THE MAAC

  • Fairfield rolled to a win over Siena, 65-35 in upstate New York.
  • Rider narrowly edged out Niagara at home, 79-75.
  • Manhattan topped visiting Canisius 68-50.
  • Marist beat Monmouth, 76-66, at McCann Arena.

UP NEXT

The Gaels return to the Hynes Athletic Center to host the Rider Broncs in the team's home opener of MAAC play. The game is slated to tipoff on Saturday, January 4 at 1:00 p.m.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Be sure to follow Iona women's basketball and Iona College athletics on our social media platforms.
ICGaels: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube (Email Updates)
Iona Women's Basketball: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube (Email Updates)



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