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Iona University Athletics

Osborn Shema vs. Saint Louis
Josh Cuppek
62
Saint Louis SLU 7-3,0-0 Atlantic 10
84
Winner Iona Iona 5-2,2-0 MAAC
Saint Louis SLU
7-3,0-0 Atlantic 10
62
Final
84
Iona Iona
5-2,2-0 MAAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Saint Louis SLU 32 30 62
Iona Iona 45 39 84

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Brian Beyrer / Sr. Associate AD / Athletic Communications

Iona MBB Stops Saint Louis At Hynes, 84-62

NEW ROCHELLE, NY - The Iona University men's basketball team earned an impressive 84-62 win over Saint Louis in non-conference play at the Hynes Center. The Gaels used a stifling defensive effort to win its 19th straight home contest. The Maroon & Gold's backcourt duo of Daniss Jenkins and Walter Clayton Jr. each reached 20 points and Nelly Junior Joseph added 16 to propel the home team to a win over the preseason Atlantic 10 number two team.

THE RUNDOWN

The game started out as a knock-down, drag-out battle as Saint Louis held a lead of two or less possessions for nearly the first nine minutes of the contest. As has occurred in the Gaels last two home contests, a mid-first half run provided all the separation needed. Trailing 19-14 with 11:11 remaining, Iona ripped off 10 straight points to earn the lead for good. Jenkins hit a three-pointer and a jumper in the paint to sandwich the rally around a Berrick JeanLouis layup and Michael Jefferson three-ball as Iona quickly led 24-19 just over two minutes later. The run extended to 21-5, punctuated by back-to-back dunks by Jenkins and Osborn Shema and the Maroon & Gold led 35-24 at the 5:33 mark. Saint Louis got within seven points with just over a minute to play but Jenkins put the team ahead 45-32 at the break with a trifecta in in the final minute and a dunk before the first half buzzer.
 
The Gaels kept the pressure up in the second half and maintained their double-digit advantage throughout. With 3:40 to play, a pair of Jenkins free throws gave the home team a 20-point advantage. Iona led as many as 23 before a Billiken free throw in the final minute accounted for the final margin.

IONA PERFORMERS

  • Jenkins scored 15 of his game-high 21 points in the first half. He added five assists, four rebounds, three steals and two blocks.
  • Clayton Jr. had 20 points and a career-high 12 rebounds for his first collegiate double-double. It was his third 20+ point effort in three games. Clayton Jr. also had a team-high six assists.
  • Limited to just six minutes in the first half Junior Joseph had 16 points on 8-of-13 shooting while adding five rebounds and two blocks.
  • Shema continued to improve for the Maroon & Gold, topping his best effort of his career from the Canisius game on Sunday with a season-high nine points to go along with 10 rebounds and four blocks.
  • Iona got great minutes from its bench with notable efforts from Jefferson (17 minutes, three points), Parker Weiss (12 minutes, three points) and Silas Sunday (four points in two minutes in the first half with Junior Joseph in foul trouble).

THE OPPONENT

  • Gibson Jimerson led the Billikens with 15 points. The sharpshooter shot 6-for-14 from the field and 3-for-9 from distance.
  • Yuri Collins, the nation's leader in assists, had 14 points and four helpers.
  • Francis Okoro had 14 rebounds for the visitors.

TEAM STATISTICS

  • The Gaels outshot the Billikens 45.2% - 30.9%. They also held a 38.9% - 26.3% from long distance.
  • Saint Louis got to the line 21 times, converting 15 (71.4%) while Iona went 11-for-12 (91.7%) from the charity stripe.
  • The Billikens led 47-43 on the boards, grabbing 22 offensive rebounds to the Gaels' 16. However, the Maroon & Gold held a 22-17 advantage on second chance points.
  • Iona dominated the paint 50-30 and outscored Saint Louis 17-1 on the fast break.
  • The Gaels had 19 assists and 10 turnovers while the visitors had just 10 assists with 17 giveaways.

NOTABLE NUGGETS

  • Iona won its 19th straight home game and entered the contest with the nation's eighth longest current home winning streak. They are now 16-0 with fans in the stands in the post-COVID era.
  • The Gaels' 13 blocked shots were the most in a game for the program in 18 seasons, matching the effort vs. Manhattan at home on Jan. 25, 2004.
  • Iona snapped a 10-game losing streak against Atlantic 10 opponents dating back to 2013. Nine of the 10 losses came on the road. The Maroon & Gold has won 10 of its last 12 at the Hynes Center vs. the A10 since 1993.

UP NEXT

Iona's next six contests will be away from its home court, with five of them on a neutral floor. The Gaels take on St. Bonaventure in the Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Sunday, December 11, at 11:30 a.m.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Be sure to follow Iona College athletics on all social media platforms:
Iona Athletics: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube (Email Updates)
Iona Men's Basketball: Twitter, Facebook. Instagram and YouTube (Email Updates)





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