JERSEY CITY, NJ – Heartbreak befell Iona College men's basketball in the regular season finale at Saint Peter's. The Peacocks hit a game-winning contested three-point shot with the shot clock winding down and only three seconds on the clock. Tajuan Agee had a shot to tie the game at the buzzer for the Maroon & Gold, but the attempt fell short.

As a result of all the league games on Friday, the Gaels are the seventh seed entering the 2020 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship. After a delayed starter…the Gaels came out jumping and took an early 8-4 lead that forced an early Saint Peter's timeout. The edge grew to 12-4 by the first media timeout with heavy accents coming via a dunk from Agee and fast break bucket by E.J. Crawford.

The Peacocks didn't relent and the reigning MAAC Defensive Player of the Year made his mark on the offensive side of the ball. KC Ndefo scored six points of his own to get Saint Peter's back within two, and it ballooned to a 15-12 lead for the home team after is fourth basket of the half was rattled through the nylon courtesy of an alley-oop pass.

Acting head coach Tra Arnold called his 30-second timeout of the first half it resulted in Isaiah Ross banging home a three-pointer. Iona trailed 23-17 midway through the first half, but things turned for the better with improved ball-flow. The Maroon & Gold got to within one, 25-24, with 5:53 to go in the frame. They regained the lead on an Agee three less than a minute later.

Iona had the advantage on the scoreboard for a couple minutes before Fousseyni Drame went on a solo 7-0 run to put Saint Peter's back ahead, 36-32. With less than a minute to go, Dylan van Eyck made a couple free throws, and Drame missed a few for the Peacocks. As time was winding down in the first half, Washington pushed the tempo after a missed free throw. Drawing in the defenders, Washington dished a baseline pass to Crawford who beat the buzzer. The senior's layup tied the game at 36-36 heading into intermission.

After the second half opened with both teams trading baskets, Saint Peter's went on a 7-0 run to take a 53-46 lead with 12:01 to go. Compounding the difficulty for Iona was Washington picking up his fourth personal foul with 10:12 to go.

Colton Cashaw checked in for the Maroon & Gold and provided a massive spark with a pair of forced turnovers that propelled his team back into the game. Entering the under eight media timeout the Peacocks had not scored in the last 3:28 and had made just one for its last eight shots. With the defense creating the offense, Van Eyck hit a three from the left corner to get Iona within two, 55-53, with 7:50 left.

Crawford tied the game for Iona at 55 with a pair of free throws. Ninety seconds later it was a four-point lead for the Maroon & Gold, 59-55, with baskets from Crawford and Ross.

Iona held the advantage until Quinn Taylor made an old-fashioned three-point play with 94 seconds left to tie the game at 63. The Gaels and Peacocks traded free throws and the scored was tied with 33 seconds left.

Saint Peter's walked the ball up the court and ran through its offense. Iona locked down and forced a tough shot…it did everything right, but the shot still fell; Matthew Lee put home the game-winning shot for the Peacocks with 3.6 left.

• Crawford scored a game-high 22 points on 8-for-15 shooting.
• Washington had a game-high six assists, all of which came in the first half.
• Agee had a game-high 10 rebounds.
• Ross and van Eyck each had 11 points.
• Ndefo scored 16 points off the bench for Saint Peter's. He also had five rebounds, five steals and three blocks. Daryll Banks III and Aaron Estrada each had four assists. Drama led the Peacocks with seven rebounds.

• Iona shot 43.8% from the floor and 37.5% from deep. Saint Peter's shot 42.4% overall and 26.7 from beyond the arc. The Peacocks attempted 18 more shots than the Gaels in the game, 66 to 48.
• The Maroon & Gold shot only five three-point field goals in the second half after attempting in 11 in the first half.
• The Gaels tied a season-high with 21 turnovers. It is the highest single-game total since January 6 against Monmouth. The Peacocks had 17 points off Iona turnovers.
• No Saint Peter's player played more than 24 minutes. Every Iona starter played over 32 minutes. The Peacocks outscored the Maroon & Gold bench, 36-0.
• Saint Peter's has ripped out Gael Nation's hearts twice this season. In the MAAC-opener on Friday, January 3, the Peacocks beat the Gaels at the buzzer at the Hynes Center

• Siena won the MAAC Regular Season Championship by defeating Monmouth in West Long Branch, NJ, 86-72. The Saints had five players in double figures, lead by Donald Carey's 18 points.
• Canisius won the Battle of the Bridge in Buffalo, 67-63. Majesty Brandon had 19 points on 7-for-18 shooting. Malik Johnson scored 14 points with seven rebounds and five assists.
• Fairfield earned a road win against Manhattan to ends its regular season, 66-50. The Stags shot 61.9% in the game attempting just six three-pointer.

Iona is the number seven seed in the 2020 MAAC Basketball Championship. Its opening round game is against the 10^th seed Canisius College Golden Griffins on Tuesday, March 10 at 7 p.m. The game is being broadcasted on ESPN3.

The Maroon & Gold swept the season series against Canisius. On Friday, January 24 the Gaels won at the Hynes Center, 69-66. On Thursday, February 27, the Maroon & Gold won at the Koessler Athletic Center, 86-65.

Stay tuned to ICGaels.com and MAACSports.com for additional championship information. Be sure to follow Iona College athletics on all social media platforms:
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