Box Score Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) | HighlightsNew Rochelle, NY - Fueled by a game-deciding 13-1 spurt late in the second half, Iona defeated Manhattan 70-56 at the Hynes Center.
The Gaels improve to 11-9 and 8-3 in the MAAC while the Jaspers fall to 8-11 and 5-5 in the league.
Junior
Rich Williams (Brooklyn, NY / Vermont Academy (VT)) scored a team-high 15 points off the bench while sophomore
Zane Waterman (Winston-Salem, NC / Fayetteville Academy) added 13 points and senior
Shane Richards (New York, NY / York Prep) 11 to lead the way for Manhattan.
Iona scored the first seven points of the game and jumped out to a 33-20 lead at the break thanks to limiting the visitors to just 26.1 percent (6-of-23) shooting in the opening stanza.
After halftime, the Gael advantage ballooned to 52-37 following an Ibn Muhammad three pointer with 11:05 to play when the Jaspers made their move.
Freshman
Thomas Capuano (Hastings-on-Hudson, NY / Iona Prep) canned a three pointer off a Richards feed before Williams completed a three-point play. Williams then grabbed a rebound on the ensuing possession and Capuano hit a layup to cap an 8-0 run while trimming the Iona advantage to 52-45 with 8:36 to play.
Unfortunately, that would be as close as Manhattan would get as Jordan Washington answered with a pair from the line while sparking a 13-1 run as Iona opened up an insurmountable 19-point lead at 65-46 with 5:56 to play.
The Jaspers would cut it to 13 but get no closer in falling 70-56.
Isaiah Williams led four double-figure scores for the Gaels with 15 points and a game-high eight rebounds while Muhammad added 15 points.
Iona shot 50.0 percent (25-of-50) for the game, including 72.7 percent (16-of-22) on two-point attempts, while recording 19 assists and posting a 32-29 advantage on the glass.
Manhattan, meanwhile, made good on just 35.6 percent (16-of-45) from the field, including 40.0 percent (8-of-20) from deep).
The Jaspers return to action against Rider on Tuesday, February 2 at 7:00 pm.
