NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The Iona University women's basketball team concluded its 2023-24 home schedule at the Hynes Center with a 72-68 setback to Quinnipiac on Thursday evening.
 
Graduate student Natalia Otkhmezuri balled out on her birthday, dropping 26 points on 11-of-18 shooting to go with four rebounds, two assists, two steals and a blocked shot. Graduate student Sierra DeAngelo dropped 13 points for the Gaels. Junior Ella Fajardo added seven points and a game-high six assists and a game-high three steals.

THE RUNDOWN

Both teams traded baskets in the opening two minutes of play. Quinnipiac created separation with a 6-2 run to take a 10-5 lead with 6:26 to go. Iona responded with a layup from Otkhmezuri and a trey by DeAngelo to knot the game up at 10-10 with just over five minutes remaining. The Bobcats held serve in the final 3:43 with a 12-6 scoring advantage to take a 22-16 lead.
 
Momentum carried over for Quinnipiac with an 11-2 stretch through the first five and a half minutes of the second quarter to take a 33-21 lead. Iona looked to chip away at the deficit with back-to-back baskets in the final minutes by sophomore Noa Givon and DeAngelo to make it a nine-point game. The Bobcats grabbed the last bucket of the quarter to take a 38-27 lead into the intermission.
 
A three-pointer by sophomore Petra Oborilova kicked off a 6-2 run by the Gaels to begin the third quarter to cut the deficit to seven, 40-33. The two teams traded blows for the next two minutes of action. Iona ended the third quarter on a 11-4 closing stretch paced by seven points from Otkhmezuri over the last three minutes of the quarter to cut the deficit to two, 48-46. The Gaels shot 50% from the field in the third with a 19-10 scoring margin. Otkhmezuri led Iona with nine points in the quarter.
 
A three-point play by Fajardo tied the game at 49-49 with 9:14 to go in the fourth quarter. Quinnipiac responded with a 9-2 stretch to take a 58-51 lead with 4:58 left. Iona punched back with a 7-3 run as a three-pointer from Otkhmezuri made it a three-point game, 61-58 with 1:37 remaining. The Bobcats made it a two-possession game on a layup at 1:13. Otkhmezuri cut the deficit back to three on a layup with 57 left to go. Quinnipiac answered with a three-pointer before Otkhmezuri hit a three with 14 seconds left to put the score at 66-63 with 14 seconds left. Iona tried to tie things up late but the Bobcats went a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line to take the 72-68 win.

IONA PERFORMERS

• Otkmezuri registered her third 20-plus point performance of the season. She shot 11-of-18 from the field and with three made three-pointers. She added four rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block.
• DeAngelo recorded her 18^th double digit scoring effort with 13 points Thursday night. She went 6-of-10 from the foul line to go with three made field goals.
• Oborilova added nine points on three made three-pointers. She has knocked down three or more three-pointers in five straight games.
• Fajardo tallied seven points to go with a game-high six assists and three steals. Thursday was her ninth game with five or more assists this season.

THE OPPONENT

• Anna Foley posted a double-double with a game-high 27 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. She also led Quinnipiac with four assists.
• Grace LaBarge chipped in 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting.
• Bri Bowen added 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting and eight rebounds for the Bobcats.

TEAM STATS

• Quinnipiac shot an efficient 59.6% for the game while Iona shot 40% from the field.
• Both teams were even on a 40% clip from distance. The Gaels made eight three pointers while Quinnipiac connected on six.
• The Bobcats held a slight 33-30 advantage in the rebounding battle.
• Iona committed just nine turnovers, one shy of a season low while forcing 16 Quinnipiac turnovers.

AROUND THE MAAC

• Siena concluded the regular season with its fourth straight win, defeating Rider, 77-40 at Alumni Gym.
• No. 25 Fairfield earned its 25^th straight win with a 63-46 victory over Saint Peter's in Jersey City.
• Marist held off a Manhattan comeback effort for a 49-48 win at McCann Arena.

UP NEXT

The Gaels close out the regular season at rival, Manhattan on Saturday March 9. Tip-off at Draddy Gymnasium is scheduled for 1 p.m. and the matchup will air on ESPN+.