NEW ROCHELLE, NY - The Iona University men's basketball team dropped a 68-64 decision to Marist in its Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opener at the Hynes Center. Four Gaels scored double digits led by 14 apiece from graduate
Idan Tretout and junior
Greg Gordon. The physical game was marked with a combined 55 personal fouls, 83 free throws and 38 turnovers between the two teams.
THE RUNDOWN
The first half stayed within one possession for all but eight seconds of the first 12-plus minutes of the contest. Trailing 16-13, a 9-0 run for the Gaels opened up the largest lead of the frame at 22-16 with 4:50 to play. Iona could not extend the lead and did not record a field goal until its final possession, a sophomore
Isaac Brice layup with under 30 seconds remaining. The two teams went into the break knotted at 25-25. Both Marist and Iona hit just six field goals in the opening 20 minutes. The Gaels attempted 21 field goals and 21 free throws, while the Red Foxes were nearly even as well with 22 tries from the field and 19 at the line.
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Eight minutes into the second half there was still no clear separation in the contest. Down 41-41 at 12:20, Marist used nearly seven minutes of the clock to go on a 21-8 run and lead 59-49 with 5:27 to play. During the stretch, the visitors shot 10-for-15 from the line and 5-for-7 from the field without a turnover, while the Gaels were 2-for-6 from the field, 4-for-6 from the line and had two giveaways. Iona rebounded over the next four minutes, however with a 14-3 run to take a 63-62 advantage with 75 seconds left. The Maroon & Gold converted four straight shots during the stretch, capped by a conventional three-point play by Gordon put the home team ahead. The pivotal point in the decision came on the next possession, leading to the final field goal and lead change with 49 ticks remaining. With the shot clock at six seconds, Marist called their final timeout. Sophomore Isaiah Brickner caught a lob for a dunk on the ensuing inbound and held on at the free throw line for the four point win.
IONA PERFORMERS
- Gordon scored 14 points on 4-of-12 shooting from the field and 6-for-12 from the line. He added seven rebounds and two blocks.
- Tretout shot 2-for-9 from the field and converted 9-of-17 free throw attempts while recording two assists and two steals.
- Graduate Joel Brown posted 13 points, shooting 5-for-9 with six rebounds, six steals and an assist.
- Freshman Jeremiah Quigley had 10 points and four boards.
THE OPPONENT
- Marist was led by Jadin Collins' 16-point effort. He shot 8-for-10 from the free throw line and had five rebounds and two assists.
- Isaiah Brickner and Javon Cooley each had 10 points. Brickner had a team-high seven rebounds and four assists.
TEAM STATISTICS
- The Gaels outshot Marist 41.3%-40.9%, converting one more field goal.
- Both teams shot poorly from the stripe, Marist was slightly better at 28-for-42 (66.7%) to Iona's 24-for-41 (58.5%).
- Iona out rebounded its opponent 36-33.
- The 83 combined free throws were the most in an Iona game in the past 14 seasons, surpassing 75 in an overtime win over Harvard on Nov. 13, 2021, and was the just the sixth such contest with more than 70 free throws during the time frame.
- Iona's 41 attempts were one less than its output in the Harvard contest and first with 40-or-more in regulation since the 2013 MAAC semifinal vs. Canisius. The 42 foul shots taken by an opponent are second most in the time span, three less than in Iona's win over Seattle in Hawaii last year.
- The 55 personal fouls were second most since 2010, only less than the 59 committed in a win over Manhattan on January 14, 2022.
UP NEXT
The Gaels continue MAAC play at Fairfield on Friday.
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