NEWARK, DE – The Iona University men's basketball team used a dominant second half to pull away from Delaware in an 89-66 non-conference victory at the Bob Carpenter Center. Graduate guard
CJ Anthony poured in a career-high 26 points, including 19 after halftime, to lead five Gaels in double figures. Senior
Lamin Sabally delivered a do-everything performance with 14 points, eight assists, six rebounds, and four steals in a commanding all-around effort.
THE RUNDOWN
Neither team created more than a four-point cushion through most of the opening period, with the Gaels finally breaking through late in the half. Senior
Luke Jungers buried a three-pointer in the final minute to give Iona a 39-33 edge heading into the locker room.
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Delaware trimmed the margin to two early in the second half, but Iona responded with a decisive surge. Leading by five, Sabally jump-started a 7-0 run at the free-throw line, pushing the advantage to 12 by the under-12 media break. The momentum snowballed into a 15-1 stretch that made it 64-45 when Anthony picked off a pass and scored in transition with 9:11 left. The Gaels led by as many as 25 in the closing minutes and never allowed the Blue Hens to get closer than 16 down the stretch.
IONA PERFORMERS
- Anthony authored a career night with 26 points on an efficient 9-for-14 shooting line, hitting 3-of-6 from deep and all five free throws while adding three rebounds, three steals, and two assists.
- Sabally's stat-sheet-filling outing featured 14 points, eight assists, six boards, and four steals, complemented by a team-best +26 rating in 28 minutes.
- Graduate Toby Harris gave the Gaels a major lift off the bench with 13 points, including three triples and a rim-rocking dunk on a slick Sabally setup.
- Junior Denver Anglin chipped in 11 points and two assists, knocking down three three-pointers of his own.
- Jungers provided efficient scoring with 10 points on a perfect 4-for-4 shooting effort, highlighted by a pair of threes.
- Graduate Keshawn Williams added five points and a season-high six rebounds in a steady reserve showing.
THE OPPONENT
- Macon Emory paced Delaware with 18 points and seven rebounds.
- Christian Bliss, the Blue Hens' leading scorer, finished with 13 points and five assists.
- Tyler Houser secured a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double to anchor Delaware's interior play.
- Justyn Fernandez contributed a team-high six assists in the backcourt.
TEAM STATS
- Iona shot a blistering 58.5% from the field, including 63.3% after halftime, while Delaware finished at 45.2%, posting identical shooting lines in both halves.
- The Gaels knocked down 12 three-pointers at a 46.2% clip, marking their fifth double-digit outing from deep in eight games, surpassing last season's total of four.
- Rebounds were even at 31-31, though Delaware held an 8-2 edge on the offensive glass and an 8-1 margin in second-chance points; Iona's lone second-chance point came on the Sabally free throw that ignited the game-changing run.
- Iona tallied 16 assists against just 10 turnovers, committing only one miscue over the final 10 minutes. Delaware posted 17 assists but turned it over 12 times, including seven giveaways in the second half.
UP NEXT
The Gaels return to New Rochelle after a four-game road swing to open MAAC play at the Hynes Center, hosting preseason favorite Quinnipiac on ESPN+ at 7 p.m.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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