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Iona University Athletics

Sadiku Ibine Ayo
Nick Gualtiere - IonaGaels.com
49
NJIT NJIT 0-2,0-0 America East
72
Winner Iona Iona 2-0,0-0 Metro
NJIT NJIT
0-2,0-0 America East
49
Final
72
Iona Iona
2-0,0-0 Metro
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
NJIT NJIT 19 30 49
Iona Iona 39 33 72

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Brian Beyrer / Sr. Associate AD / Athletic Communications

Iona MBB's 28-0 Run Fuels 72-49 Victory Over NJIT

NEW ROCHELLE, NY - The Iona University men's basketball team used a historic first-half scoring surge to take control and never looked back, earning a 72-49 victory over NJIT Thursday night at the Hynes Center in the opening night of the America East-Metro Conference Challenge. The Gaels featured three double-digit scorers and seven players with at least seven points, while a 28-0 run in the opening half transformed an early deficit into a commanding advantage.
 

THE RUNDOWN

NJIT opened the contest with an 8-3 advantage, connecting on a pair of three-pointers to establish the early pace. Iona answered with baskets from graduate Kosy Akametu and sophomore Ore Odutayo before sophomore Alliou Fall converted a second-chance opportunity to pull the Gaels within 11-9.
 
The Highlanders maintained their advantage and led 15-11. Senior Keyshawn Mitchell scored consecutive baskets in the paint sandwiched around an NJIT field goal to cut it to two. Senior Kevon Vanderhorst followed with a three-pointer at the 8:45 mark, giving Iona its first lead of the night at 16-15 and setting the stage for the game-changing stretch.
 
The Maroon & Gold proceeded to score 28 unanswered points, turning a four-point deficit into a 24-point lead. Vanderhorst, graduate Sadiku Ibine Ayo and junior Martin Kheil connected from beyond the arc during the run, with Kheil knocking down two triples. Ibine Ayo added a steal and transition finish, while Akametu scored consecutive driving layups as the advantage continued to grow.
 
Kheil's second three-pointer capped the stretch, giving Iona a 39-15 lead with 1:51 remaining in the half. NJIT ended the drought at the free-throw line, but the Gaels carried a 39-19 advantage into the break after shooting 57.1 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes.
 
The 28-0 burst marked Iona's largest scoring run of 10 or more unanswered points, commonly referred to as a "kill shot," since the Gaels put together a 31-0 run against Saint Peter's on February 26, 2012. That second-half explosion helped propel Iona to a 98-61 victory in the regular-season finale of the 2011-12 campaign.
 
NJIT scored the first four points of the second half, but Iona quickly restored its cushion. Fall continued to make an impact inside with a second-chance basket and a dunk, while Ibine Ayo added two free throws. Odutayo and graduate Luke Jungers connected from three-point range, and Ibine Ayo added a transition layup as the Gaels maintained a comfortable margin throughout the second half.
 
Iona finished the night shooting 54.7 percent from the field, connecting on 29 of 53 attempts, while limiting NJIT to 28.6 percent shooting (18-of-63). The Gaels also held a 45-26 advantage on the glass and scored 32 points off the bench.
 

IONA PERFORMERS

  • Martin Kheil led Iona with 12 points, shooting 4-of-5 from the field and 3-of-4 from three-point range in 19 minutes. His team-best +31 plus-minus reflected his impact during the decisive run.
  • Sadiku Ibine Ayo finished with 10 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals, posting a +17 plus-minus.
  • Kevon Vanderhorst recorded 10 points, seven rebounds and a game-high eight assists while finishing with a +21 plus-minus.
  • Keyshawn Mitchell contributed eight points and a game-high 11 rebounds, including nine defensive boards.
  • Kosy Akametu added eight points, four assists and two steals.
  • Alliou Fall provided eight points, four rebounds and two blocks while shooting 3-of-4 from the field. The reserve finished with a +17 plus-minus.
  • Ore Odutayo scored seven points and dished out two assists.
 

THE OPPONENT

  • Victor Vanderstraeten led NJIT with 14 points and seven rebounds.
  • David Bolden contributed eight points, four rebounds and five assists.
  • Brandon Stores Jr. added seven points.
 

TEAM STATISTICS

  • Iona shot 54.7 percent from the field (29-of-53), compared to 28.6 percent (18-of-63) for NJIT.
  • The Gaels connected on eight three-pointers and shot 33.3 percent from beyond the arc.
  • Iona controlled the glass, 45-26, including a 35-16 advantage in defensive rebounds.
  • The Gaels recorded 17 assists on 29 made field goals.
  • Iona held a 38-26 advantage in points in the paint and a 14-7 edge in fast-break points.
  • The bench outscored NJIT's reserves, 32-10.
 

AMERICA EAST-METRO CONFERENCE CHALLENGE

  • The Metro Conference went 3-6 on the opening night of the America East-Metro Conference Challenge, with all nine contests played on Metro schools' home floors. Iona's victory gave the conference one of its three wins on the opening night of the competition.
 

UP NEXT

Iona begins a stretch of four consecutive road games, starting Sunday, November 8, against St. John's at Madison Square Garden. Tip-off is scheduled for noon. The Gaels then continue their New York-area swing with visits to Fordham next Tuesday and Hofstra next Friday before closing out the road trip and the America East-Metro Conference Challenge the following Monday at UMBC.
 

FOLLOW THE GAELS

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)





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