Mount St Marys defeats Iona 66-59

Iona Falls Short in Narrow Upset Bid at Mount St Marys

In a back-and-forth contest that saw both teams battle through adversity, the Mount St Marys Mustangs edged out visiting Iona Gaels 66-59 on Wednesday night.

The game's primary storyline centered around a dramatic comeback by the hosts, who erased a three-point halftime deficit to take control of the contest. After trailing 33-30 at intermission, the Mustangs stormed back with a 12-4 run in the second half, capped off by a crucial three-pointer to put them up by 10.

Iona struggled from beyond the arc throughout the game, hitting just 26% of their attempts. The Gaels' inability to find consistent shooting was exacerbated by their low free throw percentage, as they converted just 80% of their tries at the charity stripe.

Meanwhile, Mount St Marys shot a respectable 47.0% from the field and made the most of their scoring opportunities, capitalizing on second-chance points and outscoring Iona in the paint. The Mustangs' fast break offense proved particularly potent, as they scored 26 points off turnovers to keep pace with the Gaels.

The largest lead of the game came at one point when Mount St Marys took a 12-point advantage. However, Iona refused to surrender, drawing within seven points in the final minutes before ultimately falling just short.

In the end, Mount St Marys' balanced attack and efficient playmaking proved too much for Iona to overcome. The Mustangs' victory marked their first win against a ranked opponent this season, while the Gaels' loss dropped them to 0-2 against conference foes.

The contest's advanced statistics revealed an evenly matched game, with both teams struggling from beyond the arc and committing similar numbers of turnovers. However, it was the hosts' ability to capitalize on second-chance opportunities that ultimately swung the outcome in their favor.