NEW ROCHELLE, NY— The Iona University women's basketball team earned the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference weekend sweep on Senior Day with a 72-55 win over Niagara at the Hynes Athletic Center. The Gaels used a 22-2 third quarter run at the Hynes Athletic Center to secure the season series sweep.
 
The Maroon & Gold recognized Isabellah Middleton, Naomi Barnwell, Yannie Chan, Ella Fajardo, Ale Civera and Amaya B. Evans along with senior manager Mathew Mountain in part for Senior Day prior to the game.
 
Middleton posted her second straight double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds to pair with three assists and three steals. Junior Mya Zaccagnini recorded 12 points and Civera tallied a season-high 10 points. Junior Claudia Fiel registered a team-high five assists.

THE RUNDOWN

Niagara threw the first punch to begin the contest with an 8-2 opening start. Iona countered with a 9-2 run over the next two plus minutes as a triple from Fiel to take back the lead. The Gaels ended the frame with five more points as a triple from Zaccagnini gave the home team a 16-10 first quarter lead.
 
The Purple Eagles countered to start the second stanza with back-to-back baskets to begin the frame. Iona answered with a 9-4 swing with four different scorers chipping in points to take a 25-18 advantage. It was Niagara who made the last swing of the opening half with a 7-2 closing run to cut the deficit to two, 27-25 at halftime.
 
Niagara took the lead four minutes into the restart. Iona got a pair of free throws after a Purple Eagles technical foul with 6:17 left to play in the period. Middleton took over the game from there with 12 points in the final five plus minutes and Civera chipped in eight points on the 22-2 Iona run to take a 51-34 lead.
 
Iona's third quarter run was enough both teams were dead even on scoring in the final stanza 21-21 to bring the final score to 72-55. The Gaels had six different scorers contribute points in the period as rookie Johanna Flores led the way with seven points in the final quarter.

IONA PERFORMERS

• Middleton went 9-of-16 from the field for her 20-point effort and recorded 10 rebounds, three assists and three steals.
• Zaccagnini chipped in 12 points including a 4-for-4 mark at the foul line.
• Civera went 3-for-4 with a pair of three-pointers for 10 points.
• Fiel dished out five assists to go with seven points.
• Flores registered a career-high seven points.
• Fajardo added four assists for Iona.

THE OPPONENT

• Chasity Wilson led the Purple Eagles with a game-high 21 points to pair with four rebounds, three assists and two steals.
• Talia Dial recorded 12 points and three rebounds.
• Tyasia Freeman grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.

TEAM STATS

• Iona shot a season-high 45.8% as a team while Niagara shot 39.2% from the field.
• The Gaels connected on seven triples at 46.7% rate and held the Purple Eagles to five made three-pointers at 29.4%.
• Iona won the rebounding battle 40-29 over Niagara.
• The Gaels forced 18 turnovers leading to 18 points while the Purple Eagles tallied 17 points off 16 Iona turnovers.
• Iona's bench contributed a season-best 30 points in the win. 

NOTABLE NUGGETS

• Iona clinched a berth in the 2026 MAAC Championship field with the win.
• The Gaels season series sweep pushed the all-time series against Niagara to 37-37.
• Middleton posted her 20^th double-digit scoring effort of the season and her sixth 20-point game. She finished with double-doubles in back-to-back games and has recorded seven on the season.
• Zaccagnini recorded her ninth game in double figures this season.
• Civera registered her first game in double figures this year and the third time in her Iona career.
• Fiel tied her season-high with five assists. 

UP NEXT

The Gaels hit the road for a two-game weekend next week, first up is a trip up to Siena for a 6 p.m. contest on Thursday, February 19.