The Iona College men’s basketball team (10-9 overall, 7-3 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) started their 2015-16 conference slate by dominating its opponents by winning its first six games.

The Maroon & Gold suffered their first conference loss of the season when they saw its 26-game winning streak snapped when they fell to Monmouth 110-102 Jan. 15. Two days later, Iona lost their second straight game at Rider, 79-75.

The Gaels bounced back after suffering two straight losses and beat Saint Peter’s 64-58 to regain a share of first place in the MAAC.

“We went back to the basics because I thought we were bad on defense in the last two games,” head coach Tim Cluess said.

In the game against Saint Peter’s, Iona played solid defense, especially in the first half when they only gave up 21 points to the Peacocks and knocked down 10 3-pointers en route to 37 points.

Saint Peter’s battled its way back into the game in the second half as the Peacocks went on a 22-2 run to cut Iona’s lead to three.

“We knew they weren’t going to give up regardless of the score,” senior forward Isaiah Williams said. “We knew we had to keep playing until the clock ran out.”

Williams led the way for Iona. He finished the game with 19 points and collected eight rebounds in the win. Isaiah really stepped up in the second half as he scored 13 points in that half.

“It was nice to see him bounce back,” Cluess said. “He hasn’t played like himself in a while so I was really happy for him to make a few shots and be more productive in the game.”

Sophomore guard Deyshonee Much shot very well from the floor, especially from the three-point line. Much scored 17 points and shot 5-for-11 from behind the arc.

“As always my teammates found me good spots, and I take it as my responsibility to make the play,” Much said.

Senior guard A.J. English scored 11 points in the win despite scoring 27 points against Rider and 45 points in the Monmouth game.

“For a team to be good, you have to have other guys make plays,” Cluess said. “It’s not the A.J. English one on one game.”

Even though English wasn’t scoring the ball, he was creating opportunities for his teammates, dishing out eight assists against Saint Peter’s.

The win over Saint Peter’s marked the second game that the Gaels played without junior forward Jordan Washington, who was serving a suspension for his involvement in postgame fight after the Monmouth loss. Washington slapped a Monmouth player.

The Maroon & Gold lost to Rider and beat Saint Peter’s without Washington in the lineup.

“I would have loved to go 2-0 and prove to him [Washington] that the team and the reputation of the school is more important,” Cluess said. “But he was the best cheerleader on the bench and was the most engaged guy on the bench over the last couple of days.”

After the victory against Saint Peter’s, Iona traveled to Fairfield and lost 98-91 Jan. 24. Iona trailed the entire game. The Maroon and Gold cut the Stags’ lead to three in the second half but that was the closest they got.

Washington finished with 33 points and 12 rebounds in his first game back after serving his two-game suspension. Williams scored 22 points, and English added 16 points.

The Gaels are scheduled to host Manhattan at the Hynes Athletics Center Jan. 29 at 7:00 p.m. The game will be nationally televised on ESPNU.