BURLINGTON, VT – The Iona College men’s basketball team held on to a 73-72 win on the road against Vermont in a hard fought battle at Patrick Gym. The Gaels survived three Catamount chances with less than 20 seconds left to escape with its fifth win on their opponent’s home floor in six games.
Junior Lamont Jones hit a wide open three pointer from the wing with 2:07 left to give Iona its largest advantage of the contest 73-68. Vermont quickly cut the deficit to three points on a mid-range jumper from Four McGlynn. After Jones missed a three on Iona’s next possession, Vermont’s Sandro Carissimo’s desperation attempt with the shot clock expiring went down and made the score 73-72 with under a minute to play. The Catamounts forced an Iona turnover and got the ball back with 21 seconds left down by one. The home team was the beneficiary of two rebounds that were batted out of bounds, leaving 1.5 seconds left. On the ensuing inbound, Brian Voelkel’s shot misfired, and the referees ended the game after the game clock failed to start.
Four Iona players posted double-digits. Jones and senior Mike Glover scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds apiece. Jones added four assists and two steals while Glover shot 7-for-9 from the field. Senior Scott Machado had 14 points, six assists and four rebounds and sophomore Sean Armand netted 10 points and grabbed four boards in the win.
Vermont jumped all over Iona to start the contest, leading 11-0 at the first media timeout. Two Jones’ free throws started a 19-5 run and at the second official timeout, the Gaels led 19-16. Iona maintained its slim advantage over the next six minutes. Vermont took a three-point, 29-26 lead on a McGlynn three pointer at 6:27. A Matt Glass three pointer with time expiring gave the Catamounts a 43-37 lead at the half.
The home team continued to play tough through the first 11 minutes of the second half, denying Iona an opportunity to take a lead. A Jones’ three-pointer with 9:49 left put Iona ahead for the first time in the frame, 59-58. The two teams traded leads in the next six minutes. After Brendan Bald tied the game at 68-68 with 3:34 left, Iona scored five straight on a Glover layup and Jones’ clutch trifecta put the squad ahead 73-68.
McGlynn led Vermont with 19 points. Luke Apfeld scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half while Glass also added 14. Voekel, posted seven points, seven rebounds and eight assists in the loss.
The Gaels return to action on Wednesday at William & Mary in the seventh game of their program record nine-game stint away from New Rochelle.
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