Box Score
NEW ROCHELLE, NY – On Friday night, the Manhattan College women's basketball team began a four-game road trip by visiting defending Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) champion Iona. Unfortunately, the Jaspers (3-4, 0-2 MAAC) were unable to come away with the victory, as the Gaels (4-3, 1-0 MAAC) notched a 70-53 triumph at the Hynes Athletic Center.
Iona scored the first nine points of the game and led 12-4 midway through the first quarter, prompting a Manhattan timeout. A Kayla Grimme (Altoona, PA) jumper then ignited a 10-2 Jaspers run, and Manhattan tied it at 14-14 on a Nicole Anderson (Hamden, CT) three-pointer with 2:00 remaining in the period. Neither team would make a field goal the rest of the quarter, but an Alexis Lewis free throw put the Gaels up 15-14 entering the second period.
After Maeve Parahus (Congers, NY) hit a trey to make it 25-24 Iona at the 6:47 mark of the second, the Gaels went on an 8-0 rally to run their advantage back to nine, 33-24, and Iona took a 35-29 cushion into the locker room. It was still a six-point game, 40-34, midway thru the third when Iona used a 10-3 rally to open up a 50-37 lead. Gabby Cajou (Stony Point, NY), however, banked in a trey as time expired in the period to cut Manhattan's deficit to 10 points, 50-40, after three quarters.
Cajou then started the fourth quarter with a layup to bring her team within eight, 50-42. Iona countered with a 20-5 spurt over the next 5:38 to open up its biggest lead of the night, 70-47, with 3:50 remaining. Manhattan scored the final six points of the game, and Julie Høier's (Aabyhoej, Denmark) just before the final buzzer made the final margin 17 points, 70-53.
“I was really impressed with the effort the team put forth tonight,” Head Coach Heather Vulin said. “I don't feel like they were playing like they were down 15. They were playing hard and competing. They weren't looking at the scoreboard. They were playing the right way.”
Grimme and Amani Tatum (Cambria Heights, NY) paced Manhattan with 12 points apiece. Grimme also grabbed four rebounds, while Tatum distributed five assists. Cajou registered a career-high eight pints off the bench for the Jaspers, who shot 41.2 percent (21-of-51) from the field, 36.8 percent (7-of-19) from long range, and 66.7 percent (4-of-6) at the free throw line.
Alexis Lewis had 26 points and 12 rebounds for Iona. Karynda DuPree finished with 16 points and seven boards, while Treyanna Clay contributed 15 points and nine rebounds. Tori Lesko just missed a double-double with 10 rebounds and nine assists, and Marina Lizarazu handed out seven assists to go along with nine points. Iona outrebounded Manhattan 44-28 and shot 41.3 percent (26-of-63) from the floor. The Gaels went 7-for-24 (29.2 percent) from three-point land and 11-for-17 (64.7 percent) at the charity stripe.
The Jaspers resume their non-conference slate on Wednesday, when they visit St. Francis Brooklyn (1-5) for a 5 p.m. contest. Manhattan posted a 61-53 win over the Terriers last season at Draddy Gymnasium.
NOTES: This was Manhattan's second game this season against a team that participated in the 2016 NCAA Tournament…The contest was broadcast live on ESPN3…Manhattan faced Iona for the 75th time in program history…The Jaspers lead the all-time series 45-30…Cajou had six points in Manhattan's first six games, then had six in the third quarter alone on Friday night...Each team had two blocks, marking the first time this season that the Jaspers didn't tally more blocks than their opponent.