Iona did not have a fourth-year senior to lead their charge back to the NCAA Tournament. So instead, they turned to a freshman. Continue reading “Rookie Crawford Comes Through Late As Iona Captures MAAC Title In OT Thriller”
ALBANY, N.Y. – Ho-hum, Iona is headed to another MAAC title game. Just business as usual for Tim Cluess and company. Continue reading “The Iona Train Keeps Rolling With A Fifth Straight Title Game”
The Iona Gaels enter this weekend’s MAAC tournament as the reigning champions, but lack the target most teams seeking back to back titles would wear on their back. Continue reading “MAAC Tournament Primer: Iona”
As they say, it’s like déjà vu all over again. In a scene reminiscent of their win in New Rochelle last season, Siena stormed back from a 13 point second half deficit to upend Iona 81-79 Tuesday night. Continue reading “Siena 81, Iona 79: The Return of Nico Clareth”
Entering the home stretch of his sophomore season, Iona’s Rickey McGill has emerged as the next great Gael guard. Continue reading “Rickey McGill Emerging As Iona’s Next Great Guard”
It wasn’t the swashbuckling Iona team that we’ve been used to seeing over the last few years Sunday afternoon against Saint Peter’s. How much of that was due to the Peacocks’ style of play? Do we overrate such discussions?
The game eventually went to overtime, but through regulation was at 57 possessions, which would have been one of the slowest games in Division I this season, and by far the slowest the Gaels have ever played under Tim Cluess. As it was, the 64-possession overtime contest had the least possessions for a MAAC regular season game since … playing Saint Peter’s at the Hynes Center last year.
Even John Dunne, one of the least angry Division I coaches you’ll ever meet, is tired of talking about how his team is 345th (of 351) in adjusted tempo, and would rather speak about how his Peacocks are 8-4 in the MAAC, and – even with a loss Sunday – completed seven games in 15 days in decent shape, tied for second with Iona in the conference standings.
Continue reading “Iona 69, Saint Peter’s 66 (OT): Is Tempo A Bit Overrated?”
At the midpoint of the MAAC season, it’s worth examining where each team in the league stands and where they might end up over the next six weeks. Here is a team-by-team analysis based on the current standings, along with mid-season all-MAAC teams: Continue reading “MAAC Midpoint”
Iona has still yet to lose a regular season series in the Tim Cluess era. The Gaels led throughout and held off conference foe Fairfield 96-89 Friday night, earning revenge for a 93-87 loss earlier in the month in Bridgeport. Continue reading “Iona Holds Off Fairfield, Who Lose Cobb To Injury”
Iona took down local foe Manhattan 82-67 Tuesday night in the 2017 renewal of what in recent years has been the MAAC’s premier rivalry. Continue reading “Iona Backcourt Steps Up In Win Over Manhattan”
Schadrac Casimir made his first start in more than 13 months Sunday with Jon Severe still ailing from a couple of different minor injuries. But he lasted only 2:47 as with Canisius out to a 10-2 start, Iona coach Tim Cluess called time out and immediately went to Severe.
“The group that started had a couple of little breakdowns right at the get-go, and he was one of the guys,” Cluess said. “He really responded well, he didn’t sulk about it, and came back ready to play.”
It wasn’t a huge surprise, although Casimir was the 2014-15 MAAC Rookie of the Year, after missing almost all of last year and having to undergo three surgeries (because of two hip labrums), the stats indicate he hasn’t been the same since. In five MAAC games before Sunday’s, Casimir had a total of 21 points, with no more than 7 in any of them. Even worse, Iona – which has never has anywhere close to a losing conference record under Cluess (seventh season) – came in at 2-3, two games behind their red-hot opponent.
Continue reading “Iona 98, Canisius 75: Enter Schadrac Casimir, Not A Moment Too Soon”
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