NEW ROCHELLE, NY – The Iona University women's basketball team closed out its opening homestand at the Hynes Athletics Center with a 77-63 setback to Stony Brook on Thursday afternoon. The Gaels trimmed a 14-point halftime deficit to just two points with 6:37 remaining in the fourth quarter before the visiting Seawolves used a 19-7 closing run to secure the victory.
Junior
Anyla Herbert led the Maroon & Gold with a team-high 15 points and seven rebounds. Junior
Adrianna Gonzalez added 14 points and five rebounds while classmate
Chloe Vasquez tallied 11 points and a team-high three assists.
THE RUNDOWN
The two sides traded baskets throughout the opening quarter, battling to a 9-9 tie with 3:25 remaining. Gonzalez and sophomore
Johanna Flores combined for nine early points before a late Stony Brook push gave the visitors a 14-12 advantage after one.
Stony Brook created separation early in the second quarter behind four made 3-pointers, using a 14-5 run to build a 28-17 lead with 5:33 remaining. Senior
Mya Zaccagnini answered with a three-point play, but the Seawolves maintained their advantage and carried a 39-25 lead into halftime.
Iona came out strong in the third quarter, using a 13-9 run behind five points from Vasquez and four from Herbert to cut the deficit to 10. The Gaels continued to chip away, closing the frame on an 8-4 run to trail 52-46 entering the fourth quarter.
The Maroon & Gold carried that momentum into the final frame, opening with a 10-6 stretch to pull within two, 58-56, with 6:37 remaining. Stony Brook responded with seven unanswered points over the next two minutes to regain control. The visitors maintained their advantage down the stretch, outscoring Iona 12-7 over the final three minutes to secure the 77-63 decision.
IONA PERFORMERS
- Herbert recorded her second straight double-digit scoring performance with a season-high 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting to go along with a season-high seven rebounds.
- Gonzalez finished with 14 points, her second double-digit point showing of the season along and five rebounds and a team-high two steals.
- Vasquez reached double figures for the second consecutive game, registering 11 points and a team-high three assists to match with three rebounds.
THE OPPONENT
- Ariel Little posted a game-high 23 points, five rebounds and two assists for Stony Brook.
- Jada Cook registered 10 points, four rebounds and four assists.
- Caitlin Frost added seven points, eight rebounds and three assists.
TEAM STATS
- Stony Brook shot 43.6% from the field compared to 40.7% for Iona.
- The Seawolves connected on eight 3-pointers at a 34.8% clip while the Gaels made four triples, shooting 21.1% from beyond the arc.
- Stony Brook held a 35-33 advantage on the glass.
- The visitors scored 22 points off 14 Iona turnovers while the Gaels registered 13 points off 10 Stony Brook turnovers.
UP NEXT
The Gaels head west for a two-game road swing against Big 12 opponents, beginning Sunday, Nov. 8 at Arizona. Tipoff against the Wildcats is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET.
