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Iona University Athletics

Walter Clayton Jr.
63
Iona Iona 27-8,17-3 MAAC
87
Winner UConn UConn 26-8,13-7 Big East
Iona Iona
27-8,17-3 MAAC
63
Final
87
UConn UConn
26-8,13-7 Big East
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Iona Iona 39 24 63
UConn UConn 37 50 87

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

Iona MBB Falls To UConn In NCAA First Round

ALBANY, NY - The No. 13 seed Iona University men's basketball team fell to No. 4 Connecticut 87-63 in NCAA Tournament First Round action at the Times Union Center.

THE RUNDOWN

The Gaels had a strong first half and held a two-point advantage going into the break. Five lead changes and four tie scores highlighted the effort. The largest lead for either team was four points, with the Gaels hitting the mark first following a 7-0 run that saw a layup by senior Berrick Jeanlouis on the fast break, a three-pointer by sophomore Walter Clayton Jr. and a mid-range jumper by junior Daniss Jenkins that gave the Maroon & Gold an 18-14 lead with 12:54 to play. UConn followed with a 9-1 run to gain its four point advantage and lead 23-19 just over two and a half minutes later. Iona led by four again with 2:13 to play on junior Nelly Junior Joseph's jumper in the paint. The two teams traded three pointers in the final 90 seconds with sophomore Michael Jefferson hitting from the corner. UConn scored on its final possession to make it 39-37 entering halftime.
 
The Huskies first turn in the second half sparked a momentum shift that allowed the Big East squad to take control. Jordan Hawkins, who was held scoreless in the first 20 minutes, hit a jumper from the wing and converted a four-point play 17 seconds in. Clayton Jr. tied the game at the free throw line and UConn went on a decisive 13-2 run that gave them a double-digit advantage it would not relinquish. Iona got within eight points with 9:22 remaining, but another 11-2 run put the game away.

IONA PERFORMERS

  • Clayton Jr. led the Gaels with 15 points. He shot 4-for-10 from the field and 4-for-4 from the line with three three-pointers. He added four rebounds and four assists.
  • Jenkins added 14 points, five assists and four steals.
  • JeanLouis completed his Iona career with a valiant 13-point effort. He was 5-for-10 from the field and 2-of-3 from deep.
  • Junior Joseph added eight points and a team-high five rebounds.

THE OPPONENT

  • UConn was led by 28 points and 13 rebounds from Adama Sanogo, with 20 and 10 coming in the final 20 minutes.
  • Hawkins scored all 13 of his points in the second half. After shooting 0-for-6 in the first half, he converted three of five attempts, all three makes from long distance and was 4-for-4 from the line.
  • Donovan Clingan had 13 points and nine rebounds.
  • Andre Jackson Jr. posted nine points with seven assists and five rebounds.

TEAM STATS

  • UConn out shot Iona 48.5%-38.6% for the game on the heels of its 60% shooting effort in the second half. The Huskies connected on 11-of-25 attempts from distance and were 12-of-14 from the free throw line.
  • UConn also held a 45-29 advantage on the boards, outscoring Iona 17-7 on second chance points.
  • The Gaels had nine assists and six turnovers while the Huskies posted 24 assists on 32 made baskets with nine turnovers.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Be sure to follow Iona University 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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