Iona Rebounds With Dominating Win Over St Peter's in MAAC Women's Basketball

Tony Bozzella's Gaels started the MAAC women's basketball season with a 3-0 start. All three wins were by double digits, including two wins on their Buffalo road trip over Canisius and Niagara, two teams picked in the top four in the preseason MAAC poll. The Gaels then dominated Manhattan at home, winning by thirty, 76-46.

But within the span of five days, the Gaels lost two in a row. First, Iona lost to Marist for the twenty seventh time in a row, a fourteen point defeat at the McCann Center. Then at home last Friday, the Gaels battled the Stags of Fairfield. Iona got within one point with four minutes left in the game, but couldn't get any closer as Fairfield won 60-54.

This is typical of a young team that has only one senior now that Haley D'Angelo has been granted another year of eligibility. Young teams are streaky, especially ones that start two juniors, one sophomore and two freshman with their sixth man being another sophomore. They look terrific for one stretch of time, then struggle for another stretch.

Their opponent last Sunday at the Hynes Center, St Peter's, had lost their first fifteen games, including five in conference. But three of their five MAAC losses were by single digits. Iona may have been expected to win. But having lost two in a row, the question was how would the Gaels respond in a game that some team might take lightly.


For the first two minutes of the game, Iona seemed in a fog. St Peter's was the more aggressive team and jumped out to an early 7-5 lead on a jumper by Jesika Holmes.

But the light switch turned on for the Gaels. They went on a 14-0 run which featured five straight points by an aggressive Sabrina Jeridore. Iona was up 19-7 after a Jiya Dorces-Eya layup.

The Peacocks were able to cut the deficit to ten, 22-12 with eleven minutes left in the half. But again the Gaels responded with another huge run. Iona outscored St Peter's 17-2 over the next four and a half minutes. Aleesha Powell, playing with confidence and in control, scored five straight points during that spurt. D'Angelo's layup capped the run and the Gaels were up 39-14 with six and half minutes remaining in the first half.

Iona entered the locker room up 48-25 at halftime. They had forced twelve St Peter's turnovers while only committing five themselves. The Gaels showed really good ball movement and were aggressive on the offensive glass. They had as many assists, eleven as they had offensive rebounds.

Powell and Damika Martinez already were in double figures scoring, each with eleven points. My color analyst, aka my son Matthew, who has attended many Iona women's games over the past three seasons noted "That's the most points I ever saw Iona (the women's team) score in a half." I had to concur.

Now with the game seemingly in hand, there's a tendency for teams to back off in the second half and not be as focused. Sure enough, St Peter's came out as the aggressor in the start of the second half. The Peacocks cut the lead to under twenty for the first time since eight minutes left in the first half. An Aziza May three pointer made the score 50-31.

Coach Bozzella could have called timeout here to get his team re-focused. Instead, he let his team refocus on their own. The Gaels responded with a 9-2 spurt as Joy Adams hit a three point play and then Martinez scored four straight points. Iona was up 59-33 with sixteen and a half minutes left in the game.

St Peter's though had one last run in them. The Peacocks outscored the Gaels 12-4. Kristal Edwards' jumper made the score 63-45.

But Iona also had one more run in them. Once again, the Gaels outscored the Peacocks 17-2, this time over an eight minute span. Adams and Powell combined for twelve of those points. Diana Hubbard capped the run with a three pointer, one of three on the day for her, to put Iona up 80-47 with less than five minutes remaining in the game.

Iona had as large as a thirty four point lead before winning by thirty two, 93-61. Bozzella extensively used his bench the entire game, with twelve players getting eleven or more minutes. The Gaels shot nearly fifty five percent in the second half and forty nine percent for the game. They had twice as many assists, twenty, as turnovers, ten.

Martinez led all scorers with nineteen points. Powell had a very strong game with fifteen points and five assists. Adams added fourteen points and nine rebounds. Jeridore had seven points, seven rebounds and four blocks. All eleven Iona players scored at least two points on the game. The Iona bench outscored the Iona starters 47-46.

Edwards led St Peter's with fifteen points. May added fourteen and Holmes chipped in with twelve points. The Peacocks were held to 37.5 percent from the field.

The Gaels have a very important battle for third place at home coming up against Niagara this evening, with a chance to sweep the season series from the Purple Eagles. They needed momentum going into the game and they got it on Sunday.

Perhaps it's the start of another successful stretch for this young team.

One Last Game in 2012 (Recap of Iona vs. Stony Brook Women's Basketball Game)

Sunday was going to be the last day that I would see a basketball game in calendar year 2012.  It was also likely the last game I would see in the New York metropolitan area until at least February, perhaps longer.  I was heading back to South Carolina New Year's Day morning.

So if I was going to be at any basketball game on Sunday, it only made sense that I was at the Iona-Stony Brook women's basketball game.  Two of my favorite three local New York schools (Hofstra obviously being the third of the trifecta) and more importantly seeing my dear friend Tony Bozzella, head coach of the Iona women's team, as well as seeing his wonderful family - wife Maria, daughter Samantha and son, Joseph.

It was a good crowd for a Sunday women's game with 320 in attendance.  Stony Brook entered the game at 7-4, with three more wins than they had all of last season.  Iona entered the game at 5-5 and looked to end their non conference slate by going over .500.  

The first half was a defensive struggle.  Iona jumped out to a 13-7 lead after an Aleesha Powell basket, her only field goal of the game.  Stony Brook would respond with a 6-0 spurt with Sabre Proctor scoring the last two points on a layup to tie the game at thirteen.  We would hear Proctor's name often on Sunday.

The Gaels responded with a 14-4 run over the next several minutes.  Damika Martinez and Aaliyah Robinson would hit back to back three pointers.  Then Shonice Hawkins hit an old fashioned three point play to put Iona up 27-17.   But the Seawolves would score six of the last eight points of the half to cut the lead to six, 29-23 entering the half.

The start of the second half saw Stony Brook start out on an 8-0 run.  Jessica Previlon scored two baskets inside, which would be a common theme for her in the last twenty minutes of the game.   The Seawolves had their first lead of the game since a little less than sixteen minutes left in the first half. 

The Gaels would come back to tie the game twice in the next couple of minutes.  However, Stony Brook would slowly inch out to a six point as Proctor, Previlon and Teasha Harris (sister of  former Tennessee men's player Tobias Harris now with the Milwaukee Bucks) led the way for the Seawolves, who were up 47-41 with about eight and a half minutes left.

During this time, the Stony Brook dance team went into the crowd asking kids if they wanted to be a part of the Cotton Eyed Joe dance at the under eight minute media timeout with the Seawolves' mascot Wolfie.  Matthew didn't want to go, but reluctantly went when Jonathan wanted to go.  

When the kids went out on the dance floor at the U8 media timeout, Matthew and Jonathan were at the far end of the court opposite me. Matthew danced away but Jonathan started crying.  The dance team member who recruited him picked him up and brought a teary Jonathan to me.  He told me he was "scared".  

Iona responded with an 8-0 spurt over the next two minutes.  Cassidee Ranger hit a three pointer, then two free throws and Robinson hit another three pointer to put the Gaels up 49-47 with six and a half minutes left.  Robinson's basket brought the contingent of fans behind the Iona bench up to their feet.

But the Seawolves responded by scoring seven straight points.  A Harris jumper tied the game at 49.  Then Previlon scored on a three point play and then later added two more free throws as the Gaels had no answer for her in the second half.  Stony Brook was up 54-49 with a little more than five minutes left.

Iona would get within two points twice over the next two minutes.  A Ranger three pointer made the score 59-57 Stony Brook with three minutes left.  The Gaels were down 65-62 with forty nine seconds left and had a chance to cut the lead to one.  But Robinson's layup attempt wouldn't fall down.  Stony Brook would end up winning the game 70-64.

It was Stony Brook's eighth win of the season, which was double the number of wins from a season ago.  Previlon, Harris and Proctor scored forty one of the Seawolves' forty seven second half points.  Harris scored eleven of her fifteen points on free throws.  Previlon had a double double with seventeen points and eleven rebounds while Proctor had a game high twenty five points and added eight rebounds. Stony Brook shot 27 of 34 from the free throw line.

Martinez led the Gaels with eighteen points, twelve of which were scored in the second half.  Adams added another double-double for the season with twelve points and ten rebounds.  Ranger and Robinson came off the bench and each scored eleven points.  Iona was 9 of 19 from beyond the arc and 15 of 18 from the line.

After the game, I waited around a few minutes but then had to leave.  I said goodbye to Maria, Joey and Sammy and wished them a Happy New year.   It was good to hang out with them.  Another fine day of college basketball and great friends.  A good way to end 2012.

Old Friends and Blue Devils (Recap of Iona vs. Duke Women's Game)

My time in New York last weekend was short. My flight from Charlotte got in to Kennedy Airport in NY at 9:00 PM Friday night. I spent most of Saturday celebrating my younger son’s birthday, sans the time I was at Hofstra for the 2K Classic games.

I flew back to Charlotte Sunday morning. But I wasn’t alone. My friend Tieff came with me for another basketball road trip. This time it was a drive up to Durham to see our good friend, Anthony Bozzella coach his Iona Women’s Basketball Team against Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

I have known Coach Bozzella for as long as I have known Tieff.   They went to Glen Cove High School together and we have become very good friends over the years since we met in college. When Coach Bozzella told me weeks ago that he was playing Duke at Cameron, I immediately had November 18 circled on the calendar. I was not passing up the chance to see a longtime friend.

Also I couldn’t pass up a chance to see one of the most famous college basketball arenas in the country.  I have tried my best over the years to see some of the best college basketball venues in the country.  Three years ago, I was fortunate to go to Allen Field House to see Kansas host Hofstra.

The drive from Charlotte International Airport to Durham, where Duke is located, is a little more than two and a half hours. We stopped for breakfast in High Point, at where else, Waffle House.  As we went back to my car, we noticed a dog in the driver's seat in the van.  I had to take this picture because he really looked like he had wanted to drive.

This was not my first trip to Duke.  I had been to Duke a couple of times a few years ago, once on vacation with my family and once as a finalist for a job interview at the Duke Engineering School. When I was with my family, we went to the Duke Memorial Gardens, which is one of the nicest gardens on the East Coast.

But I can't remember driving through the Duke Forest, let alone knowing that there was a Duke Forest. Turns out, as their web site notes, the Duke Forest is over 7,000 acres and has been used for research and teaching purposes since 1931.  It made for a scenic drive to the Duke campus.

When I was here last for that finalist interview in October 2008, I was quite enamored with the campus.  Having worked in academia for twenty eight years, I have seen many college campuses.  Based on the building architecture, the memorial gardens and the forest, I'd have to say Duke so far is probably my favorite campus that I have seen in all my years.   But until last Sunday, I had not seen, let alone been in, Cameron Indoor Stadium.

When we got the to stadium, we got our tickets at will call and then had to wait a couple of minutes for the media passes.  The folks at Duke couldn't have been nicer and the wait was short.  As we entered the arena,  you are struck by a few things.  One, it's incredibly well designed for a seventy two year old arena.  I could see why it's so loud on TV.  It's perfectly enclosed and all the wood from the renovations in the late 80's makes it very picturesque.  If you didn't know what state you were in, you would swear it's where they play state championships in Indiana (yup, the movie "Hoosiers" is always foremost on my brain).

The second immediate thing you notice when you take your seats, especially behind the visitor's bench is all the banners.  Yes, Duke has won a few NCAA Tournaments, a few ACC championships and had a couple of very good players.  Yes, I am being sarcastic.  Try a lot of NCAA Tournaments, a lot of ACC Championships and a lot of really good players.  So there is a lot of history that goes with Cameron.

The announced attendance was a little over 4,000 for this 9,300 seat arena.  It seemed like there were less people in the seats than that.  But let me tell you something, whatever the crowd size was, it was still loud in Cameron at game time.  I could just imagine how loud it is when the men play in front of an always sold out Carmeon Crazies crowd (we could have actually stayed for the men's game being played later that night, but we had to get back to Columbia).  Cameron holds sound really well.

Iona came out unfazed at the start of the game.  The Gaels were able to run their offense for a good part of the half, especially at the beginning.  Aleesha Powell buried a three and Sabrina Jeridore later followed with a jumper.  Three minutes into the game, Iona led 5-4 over the number three ranked team in the country.

But Duke is ranked third in the country for a reason.  They have size, strength, depth and pass the ball exceptionally well.  And the Blue Devils quickly ended the brief Gaels' lead with a 14-0 run over the next three minutes.  Chelsea Gray, Duke's strong point guard started it with a three point play. Then Blue Devils' six foot five center Allison Vernerey scored the next six points.  Duke went up 18-5.

Haley D'Angelo briefly ended the Duke run with a three pointer to put Iona down ten points.  But again, the Blue Devils would respond with another run, this time outscoring the Gaels 12-1 over the next six minutes. Again it was mostly Vernerey doing the damage.  Joy Adams jumper temporarily stopped the bleeding for Iona, but they were now down 30-11.

What struck me was that Iona was able to run their offense.  They actually got a good number of looks in the first half.  But Duke's height and more importantly their strength affected Iona.  The Blue Devils athleticism sped up the game that it through Iona off.   Shots the Gaels would make against lesser opponents, like in their wins over Navy and Long Beach State, were rushed or altered due to Duke's size and speed.

And what made Duke really scary was that perhaps their most athletic player, forward Elizabeth Williams, was coming off the bench.  However, the player on Duke I was most impressed with was point guard Chelsea Gray.  In a game, as Coach Bozzella noted later in his press conference, where Duke could have become easily undisciplined considering the score, Gray kept her composure the entire game.  She had eight assists with zero turnovers.  And Gray is so big and strong. She doesn't look like your prototypical point guard.  But she was incredibly effective and has great court awareness.

Duke continued to extend the lead and would enter the half up 57-18.  A few minutes before halftime, I ventured upstairs because I was the halftime guest on the Iona Women's radio show with the great Nick Guerriero, who does play by play for the women's game and is the Assistant Sports information Director for Iona.

The radio booth is above section seven in the arena.  To get up there, you have to inform the staff member that you have to get into the booth.  Then they pull the ladder down onto the stairwell and you climb up.  It's as old school as you can get and it's kind of neat.  Plus you have a great view of the arena from the booth.

After talking on the halftime show with Nick, who always asks good questions, I went back down to my seat behind the Iona bench.  The second half was similar to the first.  The Blue Devils' size, strength and athleticism were too much for the Gaels.

One play in particular in the second half stood out at me.  Iona's Cassidee Ranger had buried a three pointer earlier in the second half from the corner, in front of the Iona bench.  She again appeared to have an open look this time.  But Williams flew over and swatted the ball over the Iona bench, into the second row, right in front of us.  I nearly had a basketball in my lap.  It was an impressive feat.

Duke would go onto a 100-31 win over Iona.  Vernerey led five Duke players in double figures scoring with twenty two points. The Blue Devils out rebounded the Gaels 56-37 and had twenty six assists to only eight turnovers. They also

Despite the score, there were several bright spots for the Gaels.  As I noted and as the score didn't show, Iona was able to get a lot of open looks and ran their offense surprisingly well.   The shots just didn't fall.  Against a much taller, stronger front line, Iona's Adams had ten rebounds, including six on the offensive end.  Adams is only a freshman and a real find for the Gaels.  Powell, despite six turnovers, ran the offense quite well and will cause grief once she gets into MAAC conference play.  And Damika Martinez, who came into the game averaging 24 points per game, will not have many games where she is held to three points, like she was against Duke.

At the post game news conference, Coach Bozzella stated that a lot of  credit should go to the Duke conditioning coach.  He was real impressed with their strength.  Coach Bozzella was also pleased with his team's play.  He stated that when the Gaels get into conference play, those shots will fall and he won't face teams anywhere as strong as Duke (they actually played #18 St John's a lot closer a few days later, only losing by sixteen 71-55 after only being down seven midway in the second half).

After the press conference, we waited around a few minutes before visiting the coach in the locker room. He was very happy to see us and very upbeat about his team's play. Coach Bozzella knows that he only has one senior starter, who was a reserve last season.  It's a young team and he knows they will only get better.

After he got dressed, we said our goodbyes. They had to get on the bus to get back to Raleigh airport to fly home.  We had to get back to South Carolina.   We wished each other well and a safe trip back.  Tieff and I headed back to my house in Columbia, but not before we hit a Golden Corral.  We both always wanted to see what the fuss was about.  And actually, the food was pretty good.  And yes, I did dip a marshmallow in "The Chocolate Wonderfall".   Not bad.

It was great to see a dear friend as well as a great college basketball venue.  One more item off the college basketball bucket list.