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Iona University Athletics

Ketsia Athias
Geraldo Rodriguez
65
Winner Iona Iona 2-2,0-0 MAAC
56
Sacred Heart SH 1-4,0-0 NEC
Winner
Iona Iona
2-2,0-0 MAAC
65
Final
56
Sacred Heart SH
1-4,0-0 NEC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Iona Iona 23 17 15 10 65
Sacred Heart SH 12 20 10 14 56

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Jack Clark

Iona WBB Earns Wire-to-Wire Win at Sacred Heart

FAIRFIELD, CT - The Iona University women's basketball team defeated Sacred Heart, 65-56, on Sunday afternoon at the Pitt Center. Ketsia Athias and Juana Camilion combined to score 36 points on an efficient 14-of-19 shooting to carry the Gaels past the Pioneers.

THE RUNDOWN

Iona began the afternoon on a 10-0 run, forcing Sacred Heart into taking a timeout just 1:45 into the opening frame. The early run prefaced what has become a trend for the Gaels this season: a quick start and sustained first-quarter success. The Maroon & Gold would outscore the Pioneers 23-12 in the first quarter, the third time this season that Iona has posted 20 or more points in the opening stanza and the third time that they've carried a double-digit lead into the second frame.

The strong start on Sunday afternoon created a comfortable cushion for Iona that lasted for the entirety of the contest. While the cushion wasn't always "comfortable", per se, the Gaels would never relinquish the lead. Sacred Heart pulled to within five points of Iona in the final minute of the half, but a Kate Mager trifecta with 49 seconds took the Gaels to the locker room with a 40-32 lead.

Sajada Bonner opened the second half by connecting on a triple, getting the Pioneers within five points of the Gaels again, but they never got any closer. In fact, Iona ripped off nine straight points after the Bonner bucket to build a 14-point advantage and force Sacred Heart to burn another timeout. 

Iona's double-digit lead held going into the fourth quarter and grew to as large as 17 points, 59-42, after a Camilion three with less than nine minutes to play. The Pioneers creeped back, pulling within nine points with less than two minutes to play, but time was on Iona's side. The Maroon & Gold cruised to the comfortable nine-point victory to end a week that featured three games.

STATISTICAL LEADERS

  • Athias' led the way for Iona with 20 points, the fifth 20-point outing of her career. She also shot a season-best 77.8 percent from the field and was a perfect 6-6 from the free-throw line.
  • Camilion (16) and Mager (12) also eclipsed double-digit points in the win. The two seniors have scored at least 10 points in all four contests this season.
  • Isabelle Lipinski pulled down a game-high six rebounds. Camilion handed out a team-leading six assists.
  • Thoranna Hodge-Carr and Judith Gomez both finished five steals, career-best marks for the two sophomores.

TEAM STATS

  • Iona forced Sacred Heart into 22 turnovers, converting those into 25 points. The Gaels were credited with 12 steals, a season-best mark for the defense.
  • The Gaels scored 23 points in the opening quarter, their second-highest first quarter output of the season. Iona has scored at least 20-plus points in the first quarter three times already this year.
  • Sacred Heart knocked down eight three-pointers, two more than Iona. The Pioneers are the first team to connect on more trifectas than Iona.
  • The Gaels out-rebounded Sacred Heart, 26-23, the first time this season Iona has grabbed more rebounds than its opponent.
  • The Maroon & Gold finished with 14 assists, compared to 12 from the Pioneers. Iona has finished with an edge in assists in all four games this season.
  • The Gaels doubled up the Pioneers in paint points, 36-18.
  • Iona led wire-to-wire in the victory, marking the second time this season the Gaels have not trailed in a contest.

THE OPPONENT

  • Ny'Ceara Pryor tallied a game-high 24 points for the Pioneers.
  • Bonner, a transfer from Quinnipiac, chipped in 15 points, playing all 40 minutes of the contest.
  • Sacred Heart went to the line just four times, converting all four attempts from the charity stripe.

AROUND THE MAAC

  • Binghamton topped Canisius, 75-72, at the Koessler Athletic Center.
  • No. 12 Indiana downed the visiting Quinnipiac Bobcats, 92-55.
  • Coppin State edged visiting Saint Peter's, 58-53, in the Peacocks' search for their first victory under the direction of first-year head coach Jennifer Leedham.
  • No. 23 Michigan beat Fairfield, 69-53, in the Stags' first game at the brand-new Leo D. Mahoney Arena.

UP NEXT

Iona travels to Bucknell to face the Bison on Tuesday, November 22. Tip-off between the Gaels and the Bison is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. from Sojka Pavilion.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Be sure to follow Iona women's basketball and Iona Athletics on our social media platforms.
IonaGaels: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube (Email Updates)
Iona Women's Basketball: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube (Email Updates)



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