The Iona men’s basketball team tipped off their season on Nov. 7 with their first home game against the University of Pennsylvania. Following their first game of the season, the Gaels played their first away game traveling to Hofstra University on Nov.11.  

Iona opened their season with a 78-50 victory against Penn behind a full team effort. Iona’s offense started out cold missing seven straight field goal attempts and not scoring for more than six minutes, but the team turned it around as they scored 21 straight points from the 3:40 mark of the first half to the 16:25 mark of the second. 

 After finding themselves down by six midway through the first, Iona went on a 23-4 run to close out the final seven minutes of the first half. Iona went 8-of-25 on three-point attempts while Penn shot 3-for-25 from three. 

The Gaels had many contributors step up during the game. Junior Daniss Jenkins, who debuted for the Gaels, led the team with 19 points as senior Quinn Slazinski, junior Nelly Junior Joseph, and senior Berrick JeanLouis each scored over 10 points.  

Joseph also recorded a double-double as he had 13 points and led the team with 10 rebounds. 

 Sophomore Walter Clayton Jr. lead the team in assists with seven while also posting nine points. Daniss Jenkins and senior Osborn Shema helped lead the team’s defense as Jenkins posted the most steals with three as Shema recorded the most blocks with two. 

After their opening game win, the team traveled to Hofstra University for their first away game of the new season, where they ended up losing 83-78.  

Both teams were evenly matched as each team went on their own runs throughout the game. Iona held a 39-28 advantage on the boards and a 44-18 advantage of points in the paint.  

Hofstra University went up 22-15 during the first half before a 12-0 run by Iona erased the deficit and put them in the lead. Hofstra followed this run up by scoring eleven straight of their own to regain the lead.  

During the second half of play Hofstra scored ten straight over a two-minute span to put them up 60-51 with twelve minutes left. Iona then answered back with nine in a row to cut the lead down to one with five minutes left. Both teams battled to the very end, but Hofstra came away with the win.  

The Gaels had four players score more than ten points against Hofstra University. Senior Quinn Slazinski recorded a double-double leading the team in points and rebounds with 20 and 10 respectively while also leading the team in assists with four. 

Joseph led the team in blocks and steals with six and two steals and posted 17 points and nine rebounds. Jenkins and JeanLouis rounded out the four players who scored more than 10 points as they scored 13 and 11 respectively.  

The Gaels will finish their three-game road trip with two more games on the road as they face off against Vermont in the 2022 Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase on Nov. 18 and Santa Clara University in the 2022 Las Vegas Holiday Classic on Nov. 27.