ATLANTIC CITY, NJ – The No. 4 seed Iona University men's basketball team used a dominant start and a strong closing stretch to secure a 77-65 victory over No. 5 Manhattan in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference quarterfinals at Boardwalk Hall. Senior
Dejour Reaves poured in 21 of his game-high 28 points in the second half, while junior
Yaphet Moundi added 23 points and eight rebounds, and rookie
Adam Njie Jr. delivered 16 points and nine assists in the win.
THE RUNDOWN
The Gaels came out firing, hitting 10 of their first 15 shots en route to a 26-10 lead midway through the first half. However, Manhattan responded with a 12-2 run over a five-minute span, cutting the deficit to just six points with 5:26 left. Iona maintained its lead but struggled offensively down the stretch, managing just two field goals in the final 10 minutes of the period. The Jaspers took advantage at the free-throw line, trimming Iona's advantage to 33-31 at halftime.
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Manhattan stormed out of the break, using three straight three-pointers to take a six-point lead (40-34) at the 17:34 mark. But from there, it became the Njie & Reaves Show. Njie stopped the bleeding with a midrange jumper, then drilled back-to-back threes - the first a tough shot to beat the shot clock, the second a smooth transition triple - to knot the score at 42-42 with 15:08 remaining. Moments later, Reaves knocked down a midrange jumper to put Iona back in front. The Jaspers briefly regained the lead with a three-pointer at the 13-minute mark, but the Gaels responded with a 13-3 run, capped by a steal and breakaway dunk by Moundi off a takeaway from senior
Jalen Barr. Iona's lead ballooned to 63-51 with 7:24 left. Manhattan made one last push, getting within six points, but Reaves buried a clutch three-pointer that all but sealed the win for the Gaels.
IONA PERFORMERS
- Reaves led all scorers with 28 points on 11-for-20 shooting, including 6-for-11 from three-point range. He also contributed six rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
- Moundi was highly efficient, scoring 23 points on 8-for-10 shooting, while adding eight rebounds, two steals, and an assist.
- Njie Jr. nearly posted a double-double, finishing with 16 points, nine assists, five rebounds, and two steals.
- Justin Menard and Kernan Bundy chipped in five points each, with Menard hitting a three-pointer and Bundy knocking down two clutch free throws in the win.
THE OPPONENT
- Wesley Robinson and Devin Dinkins paced the Jaspers with 15 points apiece.
- Robinson was a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line, completing a double-double with 10 rebounds.
- Dinkins shot 6-for-13 from the field, including three second-half three-pointers during Manhattan's early surge.
- Shaquil Bender added 12 points, while Masiah Gilyard contributed eight points, eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
TEAM STATS
- Iona out shot Manhattan 46.7%-32.8% for the game and 40.0%-19.4% from long distance.
- The Jaspers held a 40-35 rebounding edge, 18-10 on the offensive glass and 17-9 on second chance points.
- The Gaels posted 17 assists and nine turnovers while Manhattan had nine assists and 13 giveaways. The Maroon & Gold led 14-11 on points off turnovers.
UP NEXT
A semifinal round date with No. 1 Quinnipiac awaits the Gaels tomorrow night at 6 p.m. at Boardwalk Hall. Iona appears in its 27th MAAC semifinal in 44 years in the MAAC and 12th in the last 15 seasons.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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