BROOKLYN, NY - The Iona College men's basketball team improved to 9-2 on the season with a 91-77 win over Ivy League favorite Yale in non-conference action at the Naismith Hall of Fame Basketball Invitational at the Barclays Center. Graduate
Tyson Jolly was named the game's most outstanding performer, scoring 21 points, while grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out two assists in the win.
THE RUNDOWN
The first 15 minutes of the contest saw five lead changes and three tie scores as the two teams jockeyed for advantage. Up by two with 5:30 to play in the half, Iona converted 10 straight points on 4-of-6 shooting to open a double-digit lead just over two minutes later. The decisive run extended to 16-3 and a 15-point advantage with 90 seconds on the clock. Yale converted five points to end the frame and trailed 47-37 at the break.
The Gaels held a double-digit advantage throughout the second half and led by as many as 21 after scoring 11 straight points in the first 2:49 of the frame. The Bulldogs cut the deficit to 11 points on two separate occasions, the last time coming with 4:07 left on the clock.
STATISTICAL LEADERS
- Five Gaels scored 10 or more points in the win, led by Jolly's 21. The point total matched a season-high for the graduate guard.
- Graduate Dylan van Eyck posted 17 points and five assists. He shot 6-of-8 from the field, 2-of-3 from distance and 3-for-3 from the free throw line.
- Junior Quinn Slazinski had 16 points, also shooting 6-for-8 from the field and connected on all four long distance attempts.
- Sophomore Nelly Junior Joseph had his second straight and MAAC leading fifth double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Junior Joseph added two assists, two steals and three blocks in the win.
- Graduate Elijah Joiner, returning to the lineup after missing two games due to injury, posted 10 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block.
THE OPPONENT
- The lone double-digit scorer for Yale accounted for more than 40% of the team's points as senior Azar Swain poured in 34 points. He torched the Gaels from distance with seven three-pointers. Swain added eight rebounds, three assists and three steals.
TEAM STATS
- The Gaels out shot Yale 51.6% - 41.9% with the help of their 18-for-32 effort in the first half.
- Iona made 10 three pointers for the third time this season, all coming within the last four games.
- The Maroon & Gold also had an advantage on the assist-to-turnover battle, posting 20 assists and 12 turnovers to the Bulldogs 15 helpers and 15 giveaways.
NOTABLE NUGGETS
- Iona's 9-2 start matches its best in the last 26 seasons, equaling the program's nine wins in 11 games during the NCAA at-large campaign of 2011-12.
- It is the ninth time in school history the Gaels have posted at least nine wins in 11 games, the school best is 10-1, last accomplished in 1984-85.
- Iona is 21-8 in a season and change under head coach Rick Pitino, matching the best 29-game start for an Iona head coach. Tim Welsh's Gaels were 21-8 during the 1995-96 campaign.
UP NEXT
The Maroon & Gold is back in action next Saturday at Madison Square Garden as the 9-2 Gaels take on 9-1 Seton Hall in the Gotham Invitational. The Pirates are currently ranked No. 23 in the most recent AP Top 25 poll, and almost certain to move up following wins last week over No. 7 Texas and in-state archrival Rutgers.
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)
