Rider swept by Iona in weekend series
LAWRENCEVILLE » When it came time to make winning plays, Iona’s seniors delivered when Rider’s cast of newcomers could not.
Isaiah Ross scored 25 points, including two huge 3s in the final five minutes, and the Gaels continued their dominance over the Broncs with a 72-64 victory on Saturday night at Alumni Gymnasium to sweep the twogame set.
Asante Gist added 15 points and 10 assists as Iona (4-3, 3-1) beat Rider (1-5, 1-3) for the sixth straight time.
Dontrel l McQuar ter scored 20 points and Dwight Murray Jr. had 15 for the Broncs, who battled back from a first-half deficit to lead by as many as four in the second half.
Rider trailed by 13 late in the first half before an extended 22-5 run took it in front, 48-44, with 13:55 remaining.
It was back-and-forth from that point until the Gaels seized control when Ross hit a tough step-back 3-pointer at the 4:31 mark to take a 63-58 lead. Ross drilled another triple at the 2:57 mark to make it 67-60 and Gist knocked down two free throws after that to ice it. NOTES » Guard Rodney Henderson Jr. sat out after he picked up a knock during Friday night’s game. He was replaced in the starting lineup by Jeremiah Pope. … The last time Rider faced a Rick Pitino-coached team prior to this weekend was on Dec. 27, 1995 in the ECAC Holiday Festival. Pitino’s Kentucky won that game, 9065, at Madison Square Garden. Pitino’s top-seeded Kentucky also beat the Broncs, 96-52, in the first-round of the 1993 NCAA Tournament in Nashville. The Wildcats reached the Final Four that season before falling to Michigan’s Fab Five in the national semifinals. … Rider next hosts NJIT on Wednesday at 2 p.m.