LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL - The Iona College men's basketball team completed its five-game stint in Walt Disney World with a 96-83 loss against No. 4 Kansas. The two teams competed in the third-place game at the 2021 ESPN Events Invitational.
STATISTICAL LEADERS
- Five Gaels scored double-figures in the loss led by graduate Tyson Jolly and sophomore Ryan Myers 14-point efforts.
- Jolly scored his points with the help of a 7-for-9 performance from the charity stripe. He added two assists. Jolly was named to the All-Tournament team following its conclusion.
- Myers netted a season-best point total, shooting 5-for-9 from the field and 4-for-6 from beyond the arc.
- For the second straight game, rookie Walter Clayton Jr. scored all his points in the final 20 minutes of the game, netting 13. He hit three three-pointers and was 4-for-4 from the charity stripe. In the three-game ESPN Invitational, he averaged 13.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists per fame.
- Graduate Elijah Joiner and sophomore Nelly Junior Joseph each had 10 points. Junior Joseph led with five rebounds.
- Kansas was led by junior guard Christian Braun's 18 and senior guard Ochai Agbaji's 17-point efforts.
TEAM STATS
- The Gaels were out rebounded 36-22 with the Jayhawks also holding a 22-14 advantage on second-chance points.
- Another key stat in the loss was Iona's 18 turnovers which led to 33 Kansas points.
- Iona outscored Kansas 52-50 in the second half in its highest single-half scoring effort of the season.
- The Gaels connected on a season-high 11 three-point field goals.
ESPN EVENTS INVITATIONAL RESULTS
- Dayton topped Belmont in the championship game. No. 10 Alabama finished fourth with its win over Miami. North Texas defeated Drake in the seventh-place contest.
UP NEXT
Iona returns to New York to open MAAC play Wednesday at Marist before hosting Rider at the Hynes Center Friday.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Be sure to follow Iona College athletics on all social media platforms:
ICGaels: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube (Email Updates)
Iona Men's Basketball: Twitter, Facebook. Instagram and YouTube (Email Updates)