LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – The Iona University men's basketball team erased a 17-point first-half deficit but could not complete the comeback in a 72-68 loss to Rider in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play at Alumni Gymnasium. Graduate student
Toby Harris led four double-figure scorers with 15 points.
THE RUNDOWN
Rider led for the entire first half, setting the tone of the game with two free throws on its first possession. The Broncs stretched the margin to 16-6 at the 12:32 mark, closing a 10-3 run with a Flash Burton layup. Iona answered with a 10-2 push around the middle of the frame, trimming the deficit to 21-18 on a second-chance basket by sophomore
Khalil Badru with 8:27 remaining. Rider responded, stringing together a 16-3 run over the next 4:27 as the Gaels went 1-for-6 from the floor while the home side converted 6-of-7 field goals, added a three-pointer, and went 3-for-4 at the line. Neither team turned the ball over during the stretch that pushed the Broncs' lead to 37-21. The advantage reached as many as 17 in the final 1:22 before graduate student
Lamin Sabally broke free for a dunk to close the half.
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The comeback effort began early in the second half, with Rider never reclaiming its halftime cushion. A 9-0 run in just over two minutes featured a pair of three-pointers from graduate
Luke Jungers and another from junior
Denver Anglin, cutting the deficit to 56-54 with 7:23 to play. After two Rider free throws, Iona scored five straight to take its first lead at the 5:30 mark. The Broncs answered on the ensuing possession, but a corner three by Harris put the Maroon and Gold back in front, 62-60, with 4:36 remaining. Rider closed the game on a 12-6 run, shooting 3-for-4 from the field and 6-for-10 at the foul line down the stretch to secure the win.
IONA PERFORMERS
- Harris finished with 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting from three-point range. He also led the team with six rebounds and added two assists.
- Graduate student CJ Anthony contributed 14 points, nine assists, three rebounds, and two steals while orchestrating the offense.
- Sabally posted 14 points on an efficient 6-of-9 shooting night, adding three rebounds and two assists in 25 minutes limited by foul trouble.
- Anglin scored 10 points and handed out two assists, while Jungers went a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc for nine points.
- Junior Kosy Akametu pulled down five rebounds in the loss.
THE OPPONENT
- Burton led all scorers with 21 points to go along with four assists, shooting 6-for-11 from the floor and 7-for-8 at the line.
- Zion Cruz added 16 points, and Shemani Fuller recorded a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds.
- Caleb Smith chipped in seven points while matching Fuller with 13 boards.
TEAM STATISTICS
- Rider shot 46.2 percent from the field compared to 41.0 percent for Iona. The Broncs connected on 50 percent of their attempts in the first half, while the Gaels matched that mark after the break.
- The difference came at the foul line, where Rider went 20-for-28 while Iona finished 5-for-12. The Gaels were called for 22 fouls, matching their highest total in a regulation game this season.
- The Broncs held a 45-27 rebounding advantage, including a 16-9 edge on the offensive glass, and turned those opportunities into an 18-8 margin in second-chance points.
- Iona recorded 16 assists and committed a season-low four turnovers. Rider finished with 14 assists and 10 giveaways, while the Gaels held a 20-5 edge in points off turnovers.
UP NEXT
Following a bye during Saturday's MAAC slate, the Gaels return to action on the road in New Jersey, facing first-place Saint Peter's at Run Baby Run Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. Monday on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Be sure to follow Iona University athletics on all social media platforms:
Iona Athletics: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube (Email Updates)
Iona Men's Basketball: Twitter, Facebook. Instagram and YouTube (Email Updates)
