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Iona University Athletics

WBB Bench Celebration
Will Quincy - Iona Athletics
53
Rider Rider 2-10,0-3 MAAC
72
Winner Iona Iona 8-5,1-2 MAAC
Rider Rider
2-10,0-3 MAAC
53
Final
72
Iona Iona
8-5,1-2 MAAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Rider Rider 11 13 12 17 53
Iona Iona 16 17 20 19 72

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Brian Duane / Assistant AD / Athletic Communications

Iona WBB Downs Rider, 72-53 for First MAAC Win

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The Iona University women's basketball team used a total team effort Monday evening as all 10 Gaels scored in the 72-53 victory over Rider at the Hynes Center. The Gaels tallied a season-high in points in the team's third straight win over the Broncs and picked up its first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference victory of the season.  
 
As a team the Gaels connected on a season-high 11 three-pointers in the win. Iona had three scorers in double figures led by a game-high 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting from graduate student Isabellah Middleton. Junior duo Mya Zaccagnini and Zoey Ward both chipped in 10 points. Ward grabbed a team-high six rebounds. Graduate student Ella Fajardo dished out a game-high six assists.

THE RUNDOWN

Both teams traded buckets through the first four minutes of action. Rider held a slight two-point edge before the Gaels executed back-to-back steals and scores from Middleton and a long outlet pass from rookie Johanna Flores to Zaccagnini. The Broncs answered with two shots at the foul line just before the halfway mark. Iona answered with an 8-0 run with points from four different scorers to take 16-8 advantage. Rider closed the frame with three free throws for a 16-11 Iona lead.
 
Rider opened the second with a basket on the first possession. The Gaels punched back with a 9-0 run paced by seven points from Middleton to take a 25-13 lead. It was back and forth from there with each side trading baskets. A knock down triple from graduate student Ale Civera gave Iona its largest lead of the first half with 36 seconds left. The Broncs grabbed the final bucket of the half to make it a 33-24 ballgame.
 
Out the halftime intermission, Iona continued keep Rider at bay as the scoring was near even the first six minutes of action with the Broncs holding a slight 11-10 scoring margin. A triple from Zaccagnini jumpstarted a 10-1 closing run from Iona that was capped by a pair of free throws from Ward for a 53-36 advantage.
 
The Gaels held serve in the final stanza, keeping the Broncs at a distance. Iona outscored the Broncs 19-17 in the last quarter. Graduate student Yannie Chan tallied season-high eight points in the fourth to lead the Gaels and junior Claudia Fiel chipped in four points as the team secured the 72-53 win.

IONA PERFORMERS

  • Middleton went 6-for-9 from the field on the way to a game-high 14 points. She added three rebounds, three steals, two assists and a blocked shot.
  • Zaccagnini was 4-of-6 for the game with two three-pointers and added four assists and two rebounds.
  • Ward registered 10 points to pair with a team-high six rebounds.
  • Fajardo finished with nine points and a game-high six assists.
  • Chan posted a season-high eight points on 3-of-4 shooting and a season-high five rebounds along with two steals.

THE OPPONENT

  • White Plains native Aliya McIver led Rider with 12 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals.
  • Deb Okechukwu tallied 11 points for the Broncs.
  • Emmy Roach added seven points and nine rebounds.

TEAM STATS

  • Iona shot 42.2% for the game while Rider was 33.9% from the field.
  • The Gaels connected on a season-high 11 triples at a 45.8% clip and held the Broncs to just two three-pointers at a 10.0% rate from downtown.
  • Rider held a slight 42-40 advantage in the rebounding battle.
  • Iona committed 12 turnovers while Rider had 14 turnovers for the game.

NOTABLE NUGGETS

  • Iona improves to 37-27 all-time over Rider.
  • The Gaels have won three straight and now tied 3-3 in head coach Angelika Szumilo's tenure.
  • Middleton posted her 10th double-digit scoring effort of the season.
  • Zaccagnini tallied fifth 10-point performance
  • Ward registered her eighth consecutive game with 10 or more points.
  • Fajardo was one assist shy of tying her season high.
  • Civera tied her season-high with eight points
  • Sophomore Nevaeh Stone registered her first points of the season with a fourth quarter bucket.

UP NEXT

Iona continues the three-game week ahead and ring in the New Year with a trip up to Quinnipiac on Thursday, January 1. Tip-off between the Gaels and Bobcats is slated for 2 p.m. from M&T Bank Arena.
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