The Iona College women’s basketball team welcome Rutgers University to the Hynes Athletics Center Dec. 20. The Scarlet Knights, who were then ranked No. 17 in the country, are coached by C. Vivian Stringer, a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer. The Gales were neck-and-neck with the Scarlet Knights but ultimately fell 66-58. 

Iona implemented a 3-2 zone defense to counter Rutgers’ size advantage and stifled its offense, forcing 22 turnovers. 

Senior guard Damika Martinez amassed a game-high 22 points after being limited to five points in eight minutes in the first half due to foul trouble. 

Junior forward Joy Adams posted 10 points and 14 rebounds for a double-double. Junior guard Aaliyah Robinson tallied 11 points. 

Rutgers, a member of the Big Ten Conference, scored the first nine points of the game and got the lead up to double figures before Iona closed the first half on a 15-6 run to trail by a single point at the halftime intermission. 

Competing with a team the caliber of Rutgers suggests that the Gaels are a force to be reckoned with in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). 

“It shows that we’re a great team,” Martinez said. “We can beat anybody in our conference.”