NEW ROCHELLE, NY— The Iona University women's basketball team got back in the win column on Thursday evening, defeating Canisius 52-45 at the Hynes Athletic Center. The Gaels used a big fourth quarter run to best the Golden Griffins and secure the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular season series sweep.
 
Graduate student Isabellah Middleton led the Maroon & Gold with 15 points and 13 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season. She registered a game-high four steals on the defensive end. Senior Ale Civera and junior duo Zoey Ward and Mya Zaccagnini all registered eight points apiece. Ward also grabbed eight rebounds and two blocked shots while Zaccagnini dished out a game-high three assists.

THE RUNDOWN

Iona started the game out strong as a triple for Ward kicked off a 11-2 start in the first 3:48 of game play. Ward totaled five points in that opening run and Middleton knocked in four points while Fajardo chipped in a basket. Canisius looked to counter out of a called timeout with a 5-2 swing. The Gaels countered with a 5-1 closing run as a knockdown triple from senior Civera gave the home team a 18-8 lead at quarters end.
 
It was a 4-0 start for the Golden Griffins to begin the second quarter as Iona was held scoreless for 5:25 of game action. Iona got on the scoreboard thanks to a pair of free throws from Zaccagnini. From there the visitors held a sight 10-8 edge in the last 4:12 of the first half. Iona made its first two field goals of the frame on back-to-back triples from Middleton and sophomore Adrianna Gonzalez and eventually took a 28-22 lead into the intermission.
 
Canisius opened the third with a 10-2 run in the first four minutes of action of the third quarter to grab a 32-30 advantage. Iona countered with back-to-back baskets in the lane from graduate students Ella Fajardo and Yannie Chan to take back the lead with just under five minutes to play. Canisius punched back with a 5-0 swing to take back the lead once again. Iona closed the third with four consecutive points to take a 38-37 lead.
 
Iona carried things over with a 7-0 start to the final stanza on layups from graduate student Naomi Barnwell and Zaccagnini capped by a triple from Civera in the first five minutes of the quarter. The Gaels kept the Golden Griffins at bay down the stretch and went 5-of-6 from the charity stripe in the final for minutes to secure the 52-45 victory.

IONA PERFORMERS

Middleton posted 15 points on six made field goals and two free throws. She tallied 11 of her 13 rebounds and three of her four steals in the second half.
Ward picked up eight points and eight boards to pair with two blocked shots.
Zaccagnini chipped in a 6-for-7 night at the foul line on her way to eight points to go with a team and game-high three assists and three rebounds.
Civera posted eight points on 2-for-3 from downtown and two free throws.

THE OPPONENT

• Yasmine Djibril led Canisius with 15 points on the night.
• Franka Wittenberg added seven points and a team-high two assists.
• Shariah Gailes recorded 13 rebounds and four steals to pair with six points.

TEAM STATS

• A tough shooting night saw Iona shoot a season-low 27.9% from the field while Canisius only shot 27.3% as a team.
• The Gaels connected on five triples at 25% and the Golden Griffins were held to three made three-pointers at 18.8%.
• Canisius won the rebounding battle, 45-42.
• The Gaels forced 21 turnovers leading to 13 points while the Golden Griffins forced 13 turnovers but only capitalized on five points.

NOTABLE NUGGETS

• Iona improves to 43-31 all-time against Canisius.
• The Gaels secured the season series sweep for the first time since the 2022-23 campaign.
• Middleton secured her sixth double-double of the season and her 19^th game with double figures. 

UP NEXT

The Gaels close out the eighth weekend of MAAC play on Saturday with a 1 p.m. matchup against Niagara at the Hynes Athletic Center. Iona will honor its senior class prior to the game for Senior Day.