LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ - The Iona College women's basketball team defeated Rider, 63-40, on Saturday evening at Alumni Gymnasium. Graduate guard
Olivia Vezaldenos reached 1,000 points for her collegiate career in the win, while
Thoranna Hodge-Carr posted a season-best 10 points in the landslide victory for Iona.
Iona's defense was magnificent to begin the night, limiting Rider without a field goal until its 13th attempt in the first quarter at the 3:28 mark. The Gaels had built a 6-0 lead before the Raphaela Touissant triple, but managed to extend it to 8-3 after some more stops and a bucket from Shyan Mwai. Touissant struck again with 95 seconds to play in the opening quarter, drawing a foul and finishing the layup. A pair of free throws from Hodge-Carr and a basket inside by Isabelle Lipinski helped Iona take a 12-5 lead into the second quarter.
Iona opened up a 13-point lead, 20-7, on a Juana Camilion layup with seven minutes to play. Iona wound up ending the quarter on an 11-5 run, padding its lead to 15 by the end of the half. Rider shot a measly 5-31 from the floor in the first half, while Iona's balanced scoring attack and team defense allowed them to be comfortably ahead heading into the second half.
The third quarter was Rider's best up to that point, though Iona kept the pace to maintain a double-digit lead for a majority of the period. The two sides traded points back-and-forth for nearly the entire period, which didn't bode well for the home team. Rider never got closer than within 12 points of Iona. Ultimately, the Maroon & Gold would build the advantage up to 17 points, 44-27, as the game went to the final frame.
The Gaels, behind buckets from Athias, Camilion and Hodge-Carr, extended the lead to 22 points, the largest of the night early in the fourth. Athias and Hodge-Carr, who had baskets to begin the quarter for Iona were both scoring with ease. Athias to that point had made five of her last six field goals, while Hodge-Carr was four for her last five from the field, propelling the two of them into double-figures. Later in the period was when Vezaldenos would reach the 1,000-point mark for her career. It was continuous smooth sailing for Iona, who closed out a 23-point victory on the road at Rider to snap a two-game losing streak.
NOTABLE NUGGETS
- Vezaldenos reached 1,000 points for her collegiate career in the fourth quarter, finishing with five for the night. She scored 716 points during her two seasons with Concordia-Portland, totaling 284 and counting with the Maroon & Gold.
- Iona was led statistically by Athias and Camilion, who finished with 13 points apiece. The two combined to make 12 of Iona's season-best 27 field goals. The Gaels also set a new season-high in field goal percentage (46.6%).
- Hodge-Carr had her best offensive performance of the year, finishing with 10 points. She added a rebound, an assist and a steal across 21 minutes of action.
- Rider's 40 points are the lowest for an Iona opponent this season. The Broncs were limited to just five field goals on 31 attempts in the first half. Rider finished 13-52 (24.5%) from the field, the second-lowest field goal percentage by an Iona opponent this year.
- Iona's victory marks three in a row against Rider and the first for the Gaels at Alumni Gymnasium since February 7, 2016. The Maroon & Gold own a 30-24 advantage in the overall series history.
UP NEXT
Iona returns to New Rochelle to host Canisius on February 3. The Gaels and the Griffs tip at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN+ at the Hynes Center.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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