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NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. - A.J. English scored a game-high 26 points to lead Iona to a 79-75 win over Manhattan in front of 2,611 fans and in front of an ESPN2 audience.
With the win, the Gaels improved to 24-6 and 17-2 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) while the Jaspers fall to 15-13 and 12-7 in the league.
Manhattan can lock up the No. 3 seed in the upcoming MAAC Tournament with a win on Sunday against Quinnipiac or a Monmouth loss to Siena.
Junior Ashton Pankey (Bronx, N.Y. / Maryland) scored 15 of the visitor's final 19 points en route to notching his third career 20-point game while finishing with an even 20, on 6-of-9 shooting from the floor and 8-of-9 from the line. Also turning in a big game was senior Emmy Andujar (Bronx, N.Y. / Rice), who notched 17 points with 10 rebounds in recording his sixth double-double of the year and the 10th of his career.
On Senior Night, Iona hit six of its first eight shots in racing out to an 18-9 lead just over five minutes into the second half. Following a quick timeout, the Jaspers ripped off nine-straight points over 3:26.
Freshman Zane Waterman (Winston-Salem, N.C. / Fayetteville Academy) got things started with a layup off a pass from Andujar before sophomore Rich Williams (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Vermont Academy (Vt.)) canned a triple and senior RaShawn Stores (Bronx, N.Y. / Robinson School (N.J.)) hit a pair from the line. Stores then stole the ball from English on the ensuing possession and found senior Donovan Kates (Hopkinsville, Ky. / Christian County) for a lay-up to tie it up at 18-18 with 10:52 to play until halftime.
The Gaels would quickly answer with a David Laury three-point play as Iona opened up an eight-point lead en route to posting a 41-35 lead at intermission.
After halftime, Iona scored seven-straight points in opening up its largest lead of the game at 48-35 with just over 16 minutes remaining. Andujar immediately answered with a pair of layups before Stores hit a three pointer as Manhattan quickly ripped off seven points of its own.
The Gael advantage would grow to 12 on two more occasions before Stores canned back-to-back three pointers to trim the Jasper deficit to 58-52 with 8:28 remaining.
Iona then quickly responded with five points in expanding its advantage back out to 11 points with just under seven minutes to play.
In keeping with the punch, counterpunch storyline of the second half, Pankey scored his first bucket after halftime with a free throw before Williams hit another triple. Pankey then converted a three-point play to draw the Jaspers to within four at 63-59 with 4:15 remaining while setting the tone for what would prove to be an impressive final four-plus minutes for the Maryland transfer.
Pankey followed with the next 12 Manhattan points while helping keeping the visitors within striking distance. In the end, however, it was not enough as the Gaels were able to stave off the Jaspers in posting a narrow 79-75 victory.
Manhattan shot 43.3 percent (26-of-60) from the floor, including 38.9 percent (7-of-18) from long range, and 84.2 percent (16-of-19) from deep. The Jaspers also forced 15 turnovers while recording 10 steals.
Stores added eight points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals while Williams had eight points off the bench to highlight the top performers for Manhattan.
Iona made good on 46.3 percent (25-of-54) from the floor, including just 36.4 percent (8-of-22) from distance.
The Jaspers will next host Quinnipiac on Sunday, March 1 at 2 p.m. with fans advised to get there early for Senior Day activities, which will start at 1:30 p.m.
