Coming into this season, the Gaels were predicted to do great in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Picked to finish third in the conference and with three players named to the Preseason All-MAAC teams, expectations were high for Iona to do great this season. So far, through their first four games, the Gaels have wildly underperformed expectations, going 1-3 to start their season. The Gaels started their season on Nov. 4, when they traveled to take on the Princeton Tigers on Nov. 4 on the road. The Gaels were able to get the upper hand towards the end of the first half and at the start of the second, but a cold streak
allowed Princeton to get back in the game. The Tigers took the lead late to two free throws from star Xavian Lee, with a missed three-pointer from Gaels’ guard Dejour Reaves sealing the game and the loss for the Gaels, 81-80. The star of the game vs Princeton for Iona is freshman guard Adam Njie. Njie put up a team-high 19 points in addition to six assists. According to the Iona athletics website, the 19-point outburst was the second-most points dropped by a freshman Gael in their debut, one point less than Schadrac Casmilr’s 20-point game against Cleveland State at the start of the 2014-15 season. Hofstra would be the next team to host the Gaels, this game taking place on Nov. 8. Compared to the game against Princeton,
this contest wasn’t even close, seeing the Gaels lose 90-76. The star for the Gaels this game was forward Clarence Rupert, who had 20 points and six rebounds. However, he and Reaves, who had 12 points, were the only Gaels that scored in double-figures, while five Hofstra players did, including a 14-point near triple-double from former Gael Jean Aranguren. Iona would play their first home game on Nov. 12, when they hosted the University of Delaware Blue Hens. For the first half of the game, the Gaels weren’t able to keep up with the Blue Hends. But, in the second half, the Gaels were able to fight back, even taking a one-point lead late in the game after a Reaves three assisted by Njie.
But the Gaels weren’t able to capitalize on their momentum and would lose 68-54. Once again, Reaves was the star player for the Gaels, putting up 16 points. But this was a star-making game for forward Yaphet Moundi, who had 16 points in addition to 18 rebounds, three blocks, and three steals. On Nov. 15, the Gaels would play another game at home, this time hosting the University of Vermont Catamounts. Despite going down in the first half, 39 second half points from the Gaels would see them pick up their first victory of the year, 62-59. Reaves would lead the game in scoring with 22 points, with Biggie Patterson adding another 16. The next couple weeks see the Gaels play more out-of-conference games. On Nov. 20, the Gaels will travel to Morgantown, West Virginia to take on the West Virginia Mountaineers. Then, five days later, the Gaels host Cornell. The following weekend, the Gaels will travel down to the Bahamas to take part in the Baha Mar Nassau Hoops Championship, playing Tarleton State, Indiana State, and Rice on Nov. 29, Nov. 30, and Dec. 1 respectively.
