Quinnipiac Upends Iona MBB In Hamden, 74-70

HAMDEN, CT – The Iona College men's basketball program dropped its second straight game on Wednesday afternoon to the Quinnipiac Bobcats, 74-70. Isaiah Ross led the Gaels with 18 points and reigning Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week Nelly Junior Joseph had 12 points.

GAME SUMMARY

Wednesday night's game began with Ross scorching the People's United Center with seven points before the first media timeout. The senior guard was hot early, but he and the Maroon & Gold offense struggled as the first half unfolded. The Gaels shot 30.0% from the floor and 3-for-13 (23.1%) from beyond the arc over the opening 20 minutes. Despite the shooting woes, Iona led Quinnipiac 25-24 with 3:34 on the clock following an and-one play from Berrick JeanLouis.

A pair of free throws from Tyrese Williams propelled the Bobcats to ending the first half on a 10-0 run. Seth Pinkey dunked one home as the opening period wound down to put the home team ahead 34-25 entering intermission.

Jamil Riggins made a layup at the 13:35 mark of the second half to put Quinnipiac ahead of Iona 45-35. The Bobcats largest lead of the game was quickly cut back down to two possessions with a pair of three-pointers from Tahlik Chavez. The sophomore's sharpshooting catapulted a 10-0 run for Iona. The Gaels took a 46-45 lead with a transition three from Ross off a feed from Ryan Myers.

Over the final 10 minutes of the game, neither team had a lead grow larger than five. The Gaels led Quinnipiac 60-55 with 5:43 left, but two possessions later it was Quinnipiac back in front, 62-61, courtesy of a Tymu Chenery dunk. The Bobcats, with increased trips to the free throw line, ballooned its lead to 69-64 with less than a minute to go. The Gaels got within one possession twice over the final 32 seconds, but free throws from Jacob Rigoni and Tyrese Williams in the final seconds sealed the Maroon & Gold's fate.

STATISTICAL LEADER