PRINCETON, NJ - Princeton junior Xaivian Lee sank two free throws with 3.7 seconds left to propel the Tigers to an 81-80 win over the Iona University men's basketball team in non-conference action at Jadwin Gymnasium. The Gaels got a good look at a potential game winner, but the ball rimmed out in the team's 2024-25 season opener on the road. Freshman Adam Njie led three Iona performers in double-digit scoring totals in his Maroon & Gold debut. The back and forth battle saw 19 lead changes and 12 tie scores.

THE RUNDOWN

The score stayed within one possession for the first 13 minutes of the contest. Down one with 9:15 to play, the Gaels scored 11 of the next 13 points to take an eight point advantage with 5:35 to play. Senior Dejour Reaves jumper in the lane made it 35-27 with 5:35 to play. Iona took a double digit lead with 2:16 left on junior James Patterson's transition layup following a steal with the score 46-36. The Gaels led by 12 at the break.
 
Iona's lead ballooned to 16 points less than four minutes into the second half after a pair of Njie free throws. Prior to that sophomore Comeh Emuobor hit a three pointer at 17:03, the Gaels went without a field goal for the next 7:36 which allowed Princeton to chip away at the deficit and take a two point lead with 9:40 to play. The Tigers scored 16 straight at one point to go ahead 62-60.  Reaves stopped the run with back-to-back layups and Iona led 65-62 at the under eight minute media timeout.   Princeton's largest lead of the contest was four points with just under six minutes to play.  Iona swung the margin to four points in their favor with 2:51 to play following a conventional three-point play by Njie.   Lee's tough jumper for Princeton and a free throw by Caden Piece put the home team ahead by two with 33 ticks left.  On the Gaels' next possession, senior Clarence Rupert corralled a key offesnive rebound and putback and was fouled on the play for a three-point play to put the Maroon & Gold ahead by a point with 16 seconds left.  Iona's final bucket led to the critical final Princeton possession where Lee was fouled and made both free throws to seal the win.  Reaves was able to get inside the three point line for the potential game winning attempt but could not to convert.

IONA PERFORMERS

• Njie shot 6-for-12 from the field with three three pointers and was 4-for-5 from the line in his first collegiate game.  He added a team-high six assists.
• Rupert posted 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field and was 5-for-5 from the line with six rebounds and two steals.
• Reaves had 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists in his first game as a Gael.
• Emuobor recorded 11 points and four rebounds in 17 minutes off the bench.
• Patterson netted eight points and a team best 10 rebounds and three steals.

THE OPPONENT

• Lee led all scorers with 27 points including 19 in the decisive second half. He added six assists and four rebounds.
• Pierce added 18 points, nine rebounds and six assists.
• Jacob Huggins and Dalen Davis added 12 and 10 for the home team.

TEAM STATS

• Both teams shot over 50 percent from the field with Princeton taking a 55.4%-53.6% advantage.
• The Tigers converted 8-of-26 (30.8%) of their three point attempts while the Gaels were 6-for-13 (46.2%).
• Iona outrebounded Princeton 33-25 and 11-9 on the offensive glass with a slim 13-12 advantage on second chance points.
• The Gaels had 14 assists and 17 turnovers, and the Tigers posted 14 assists and just 10 turnovers.
• Second half turnovers plagued the Gaels with 12 of the team's 17 total coming in the final 20 minutes.

NOTABLE NUGGETS

• All 10 Gaels appearing in tonight's contest made their Iona debuts.
• Njie and rookie Jacob Horvath scored their first collegiate points, while Patterson and juniors Yaphet Moundi and Kernan Bundy scored their first Division I tallies.
• Njie's 19-point effort in his rookie debut was one shy of Schadrac Casmilr's 20-point effort vs. Cleveland State at the Hynes Center on November 14, 2014.  Steve Burtt Jr. had 18 points vs. Lipscomb in 2002.

UP NEXT

Iona continues action on the road to start the season taking on Hofstra at 7 p.m. Friday night.

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