LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL - The Iona College men's basketball team stunned No. 10 Alabama, 72-68 in the quarterfinal round of the 2021 ESPN Events Invitational at the Field House at ESPN's Wide World of Sports. The Gaels earned the program's fifth-ever win against a Top 25 team, their second against a Top 10 team and the first victory over a ranked team in 16 years.

THE RUNDOWN

The first half saw Alabama holding a small single-digit lead throughout most of the frame. The four-point advantage at halftime represented its largest advantage in the first 20 minutes.
 
Iona could not crack the deficit in the early stages of the second half and fell behind by nine points at the 12:27 mark on a Jaden Shackleford three-pointer. A 10-1 Gael run over the next 2:28 seconds led to a 47-47 tie. Rookie Walter Clayton Jr. scored six of the 10 points including four straight free throws and the game tying layup with just under 10 minutes to play. The Crimson Tide regained a six-point advantage before a 7-0 Iona run gave the Maroon & Gold a lead it would not relinquish with 5:32 remaining. Up one with under 90 seconds remaining, senior Elijah Joiner hit a huge three-pointer with 1:16 to play to give Iona a 69-65 lead. Shackleford answered with his fourth trifecta of the game to cut Iona's lead to one. The Gaels could not convert on its ensuing possession, but Clayton corralled a key offensive rebound to extend the possession. He was fouled and hit one free throw to make it a two-point game. Junior Jahvon Quinerly drove to the basket for a potential game-tying layup but a massive defensive play and block by senior Berrick Jeanlouis, led to an Iona rebound that sent Nelly Junior Joseph to the line. The sophomore calmly sank both free throws to seal the four-point win.

STATISTICAL LEADERS

• Five Gaels scored double-digits, led by a breakout performance from freshman Walter Clayton Jr. who scored 15 points in just under 20 minutes of play. Clayton shot 5-for-9 from the field and 5-for-6 from the free throw line, grabbing four rebounds and dishing out two assists in the win.
• Sophomore Nelly Junior Joseph had his second-double double in three games with 15 points and 11 rebounds. He blocked four shots and converted two key free throws to make it a two-possession game with under 10 seconds to play.
• Graduate Tyson Jolly had 13 points including massive three-pointer with 5:12 remaining to give the Gaels a four-point lead.
• Graduate Elijah Joiner had 12 points, six rebounds and two assists and hit two three-pointers including a key one in the second half with 1:12 left to give Iona a 69-65 advantage.
• Junior Quinn Slazinski had 11 points, three rebounds and two assists and graduate Dylan van Eyck posted a team-best three assists.
• Senior Berrick JeanLouis, once again slowed down the opponent's top offensive threats, helping to limit Jaden Shackelford and Jahvon Quinerly to a combined 12-for-31 shooting. He led with four steals and had a game-sealing block on Quinerly with under 10 seconds to go.

NOTABLE NUGGETS

• Iona's five Top 25 wins include: Nov. 30, 1979 vs. #14 Texas A&M; Feb. 21, 1980 vs. #7 Louisville; Dec. 27, 2002 vs. #22 North Carolina; Nov. 26, 2005 vs. #23 Iowa State and now Nov. 25, 2021 vs. #10 Alabama.
• MAAC teams are now 1-119 in games against an AP Top 10 squad.
• Head coach Rick Pitino has now defeated a Top 10 team at four different schools (Providence, Kentucky, Louisville, Iona)
• The Gaels improve to 6-0 on the season, the first time since 2005 and sixth time in history.  Iona was 7-0 to start the 2005-06 campaign, the season in which they beat No. 23 Iowa State in game three, its last AP Top 25 victory.

UP NEXT

Iona takes on Belmont in the semifinal round tomorrow (Nov. 26) at 6:30 p.m. on ESPNU.  The winner/loser takes on No. 4 Kansas or Dayton in the championship or third-place game on Sunday.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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