Score: Iona 72, UAlbany 68
Location: Hynes Center in New Rochelle, N.Y.
Records: UAlbany (0-1); Iona (1-0)
Short Story: Men's basketball starts strong, but fades at Iona to fall 72-68 in the season opener.
Coach Brown: “I wanted to learn a lot about my group. This is a difficult place to play against a talented team. I think youth and inexperience was the difference in the game, as were our self-inflicted mistakes. I can't question my guys' effort. If they give that effort all year long we'll be fine. We had opportunities, but we didn't take advantage of it. We had too many live-ball turnovers that led to opportunities for them. But they're really talented, but I'm proud of my guys' effort. For us to come in here and have a chance to win against a team that's been to three straight NCAA Tournaments says that there's some optimism that we have a chance.”
Key Stats
- Ahmad Clark led all scorers with 21 points
- Devonte Campbell recorded a double-double
- UAlbany shot 15-16 from the free throw line
- Three Great Danes scored in double-figures
- Four Gaels scored in double figures
- Iona shot 50.0% from the floor in the second half
Recap
Featuring nine new faces and only three of six returning players with actual game experience, the University at Albany men's basketball team fell in a heartbreaker on the road to open the season at Iona 72-68.
The Great Danes opened the game with a furious 11-1 run lasting three minutes and 34 seconds. Redshirt-freshman Cameron Healy initiated the run with back-to-back three-pointers to put UAlbany up 6-1 right away. Leading 8-1, junior Ahmad Clark hit a three of his own to extend the Danes' lead to 10 before Iona was able to covert another basket.
UAlbany led by as many as 15 points in the first half Clark hit another three-pointer with 7:18 remaining. After cutting the lead to 13 on the next possession, senior Devonte Campbell hit two free throws to bring the Danes' lead back to 15.
Iona put together a 6-0 run to cut the lead to nine with 4:08 left in the first. They further cut the lead to one with just under a minute left, before UAlbany extended the lead to four heading into halftime. Iona ended the first half on a 16-5 run spanning the final 6:19 of the half.
Clark led all scorers at halftime with 11 points on 4-8 shooting, including 3-4 from behind the arc. He also led UAlbany with five rebounds. Healy added nine points of his own, shooting 3-3 from three.
UAlbany quickly extended the lead to six right after halftime, but would not lead by more for the remainder of the game. Iona continued to chip away, bringing the game within one with 17:04 remaining. UAlbany built their lead back up to five two minutes later, holdinf off Iona's momentum for a few more minutes.
The Gaels took their first lead since 18:11 in the first half with a three pointer with 11:07 remaining to go up 46-44. Senior Rayshawn Miller responded immediately, hitting a three of his own on the ensuing possession. With 9:16 left, after some back-and-forth, UAlbany led by three.
A layup and-one for Iona tied the game at 53 with 8:55 remaining. The Gaels extended their lead to five with a 34 seconds of game time later. UAlbany fought back within one point by 6:38 remaining but Iona started to pull away again to lead by as many as six with 2:31 remaining.
UAlbany came back within two with eight seconds left in the game, but was unable to complete the comeback, ultimately falling 72-68.
Iona ended the game outscoring UAlbany 32-16 in the paint, 33-10 off turnovers, and 24-8 off the bench. Clark led all scorers with 21 points, while Campbell recorded a double-double, scoring 17 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.
Next: UAlbany hosts Boston University for its home opener on Wednesday, November 14 at 7:30 p.m.
