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Iona University Athletics

WBB 12.18
41
Rider Rider 0-7,0-3 MAAC
56
Winner Iona Iona 1-4,1-2 MAAC
Rider Rider
0-7,0-3 MAAC
41
Final
56
Iona Iona
1-4,1-2 MAAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Rider Rider 8 14 9 10 41
Iona Iona 10 24 10 12 56

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Jack Clark

Iona WBB Smothers Rider to Secure First Win of Season

NEW ROCHELLE, NY – The Iona College women's basketball team secured its first win of the 2020-21 campaign behind a strong defensive performance as a team. Senior Olivia Vezaldenos got it done for the Gaels on the offensive end, scoring a season-best 16 points with four makes from three-point range.

GAME SUMMARY

Rider jumped out to an early 4-0 advantage in the opening minute of action at the Hynes Center. Paulla Weekes got Iona on the board with a pair of free throws, and Anouschka Meijer followed it up with a wide-open layup at the rim to knot the game at 4-4 two minutes in. Camilion and Dublin were the benefactors of transition baskets after Iona's press forced a couple of turnovers, giving the Gaels a four-point lead. Rider managed to break a five-plus minute scoring drought with a Lenaejha Evans jumper in the lane, shrinking the Maroon & Gold lead to 10-8. The score remained that way for the final 90 seconds of the opening stanza.
 
Vezaldenos opened the scoring in the second quarter with a bucket from beyond the arc; Claudia Gomez followed with a layup to push Iona's lead to seven points. Raphaela Toussaint answered with a triple of her own to make it a 15-11 game, but the Gaels knocked down back-to-back-to-back three pointers, opening up a 13-point lead midway through the second quarter.
 
The lead grew as large as 17 points for Iona in the waning minutes of the first half. Ultimately, the Gaels took a 34-22 lead into the locker room after a pair of final-minute baskets by the Broncs. Seven different Gaels got registered a point in the second quarter.
 
Both sides struggled to pick up where they left off out of the halftime break, the Gaels more so than the Broncs. Rider scored the first seven points of the period, holding Iona without a point for over seven minutes. Rider's 14-point halftime deficit had been trimmed all the way down to 34-29 before consecutive baskets from Vezaldenos. In fact, Vezaldenos scored all four of Iona's points in the third quarter, including 10 of the final 12 points in the quarter. The Gaels lead had grown to double-figures again, 44-31, heading into the final frame.
 
The Maroon & Gold did not let off the gas to begin the fourth quarter, scoring the first three baskets to open a 19-point advantage, the largest of the night. The lead was insurmountable for the visitors with the Gaels keeping up the defensive pressure. Iona grabbed its first win of the season, 56-41, thanks to an all-around effort on both ends of the floor.

STATISTICAL LEADERS

  • Vezaldenos registered a game-high 16 points. Camilion joined her as the only other player in double-figures, adding 10 points of her own.
  • Lenaejha Evans pulled down seven rebounds. Camilion finished with six to lead Iona.
  • Three different Gaels dished out three assists: Camilion, Gomez and Weekes.
  • Camilion finished with eight steals, a new career-high for the junior.
  • Dublin blocked four shots, the same as Rider's entire team. The rookie accounted for half of Iona's eight blocks on the evening.

NOTABLE NUGGETS

  • The Gaels first win of the 2020-21 campaign also marks the 99th in head coach Billi Chambers' career.
  • Vezaldenos' 16 points and four three pointers were her best as a member of the Maroon & Gold.
  • Camilion registered eight steals in the victory, becoming just the fourth Gael to record eight or more steals. Marina Lizarazu was the last Gael to record eight or more steals, back in 2015-16 against George Washington. The program record is 10, set by Thazina Cook and Lauren DeFalco.
  • As a team, Iona forced a season-high 28 turnovers, converting them into 31 points. The Gaels' 16 steals were double its previous season-high mark.
  • The Maroon & Gold finished with six triples, shooting 35% from beyond the arc, the best percentage of the year so far.
  • Dublin set another personal best mark in blocks, swatting four shots tonight. She has recorded a block in all five games this season.
  • The Gaels fouled a season-low 13 times, sending Rider to the line just four times.
  • Iona led for 36 of a possible 40 minutes. The Broncs led for just over one minute.

AROUND THE MAAC

  • Manhattan beat Quinnipiac 71-70 in overtime. Emily LaPointe sank the game-winner at the buzzer for the Jaspers.

UP NEXT

Iona and Rider finish the weekend series tomorrow night at 6:00 p.m. in New Rochelle. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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