Box Score
NEW ROCHELLE, NY – Taking the court for the first time in nearly two weeks, the Manhattan College women's basketball team resumed its Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) schedule with a matchup at Iona on Saturday afternoon. It was a one-point game after one quarter, but the Gaels (7-7, 3-0 MAAC) used a 14-0 run early in the second period to take the lead for good en route to a 67-56 victory over the Jaspers (5-7, 2-1 MAAC) at the Hynes Athletic Center.
Both teams shot well in the opening quarter. Nyasha Irizarry (Brooklyn, NY) scored eight points in the first 1:39, as Manhattan jumped out to a 10-3 advantage. Iona responded with a 9-0 run to go up 12-10, but Maeve Parahus (Congers, NY) countered with a trey at the 5:10 mark to put the Jaspers back in front, 13-12. After a Crystal Ross (Philadelphia, PA) layup made it 17-14 with 2:52 left in the quarter, the Gaels ended the frame on a 5-1 spurt to take a 19-18 lead into the second period.
Ross hit a layup to give the lead back to Manhattan six seconds into the second quarter, but Iona countered with 14 straight points to open up a 33-20 cushion. After the Jaspers got back within nine, 35-26, on an Amani Tatum (Cambria Heights, NY) layup with 3:54 remaining before halftime, the Gaels got a three-point play from MAAC Preseason Player of the Year Joy Adams to take a 38-26 advantage into the locker room.
Iona's lead reached a game-high 19 points at 50-31 with 2:59 remaining in the third quarter before Manhattan went on an 8-0 run to get back within 11 at 50-39. The Gaels held a 53-41 lead entering the final period, but the Jaspers began the fourth quarter on a 6-3 rally to trim their deficit to nine. After a pair of Shayna Ericksen (Long Valley, NJ) free throws made it 56-47 at the 4:49 mark, Alexis Lewis sank a trey on the other end to spark a 7-1 Iona rally that pushed the margin back to 15 points, 63-48, with 2:20 left. The Gaels held on for a 67-56 victory, as Manhattan suffered its second consecutive loss.
Ericksen, Irizarry and Tatum paced the Jaspers with nine points apiece. Tatum also handed out three assists and tallied five steals for the second straight game. Blake Underhill (Edgewater, NJ) finished with seven points and four assists, while Kayla Grimme (Altoona, PA) contributed six points, six rebounds and two blocks. Ross added six points and five boards for the Jaspers, who shot 38.5 percent (20-of-52) as a team. Manhattan went 4-for-14 (28.6 percent) from three-point range and 12-for-17 (70.6 percent) at the charity stripe.
For Iona, Adams notched a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Lewis tallied 15 points, six rebounds and three assists off the bench, while Aaliyah Robinson posted 10 points. Philecia Gilmore contributed nine points, six rebounds and five assists for the Gaels. Iona shot 42.6 percent (26-of-61) from the floor, 26.9 percent (7-of-26) from downtown and 80 percent (8-of-10) at the free throw line. The Gaels also outrebounded the Jaspers 40-27.
Manhattan will now have another six-day break before returning to action. The Jaspers continue their four-game road trip with an 11 a.m. visit to Fairfield (6-6, 1-2 MAAC) on Friday.
NOTES: The 12-day break between games was the Jaspers' longest of the season…It was Manhattan's only game in an 18-day span from Dec. 21-Jan. 7…The Jaspers and Gaels met for the 73rd time, with Manhattan leading the series 44-29…Iona has won seven straight against the Jaspers…Manhattan used a different starting lineup for the first time in seven games, with Irizarry making her first start since Nov. 24 and Underhill coming off the bench for the first time this season…The Jaspers opened the calendar year on Jan. 2 for the second straight season and the fourth time in the last six campaigns.