Quinnipiac Advances to MAAC Title Game with Upset Win over Iona
MAAC Sports
SPRINGFIELD, MASS. – No. 4 Quinnipiac knocked off regular season co-champions and top seed Iona 79-68 in the semifinals of the 2014 MAAC Women’s Basketball Championship at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass.
After making just eight field goals on 24 percent shooting in the first half, Quinnipiac managed to open up the second half on an 11-4 run and break the 24-24 tie. Senior forward Brittany McQuain and junior guard Jasmine Martin each scored 17 points for the Bobcats in the upset win. Quinnipiac held leads as large as 12 points and never trailed in the second half of the game.
Iona did not go away quietly. With three point baskets from Damika Martinez and senior Haley D’Angelo, Iona managed to get back to as close as five points in the final minutes of the game but continued to foul the Bobcats who made their free throws. The two All-MAAC First Team members in Martinez and Joy Adams recorded a combined 52 of the teams 68 total points. Martinez scored 32 points and Adams registered 20 points and 17 rebounds for the Gaels in the lost.
Quinnipiac had four players score in double figures and eight total players register at least two points, while Iona only managed to have two other players besides Martinez and Adams score.
The 1998 championship was the last time a No. 4 seed beat a No. 1 seed and the 2004 championship was the last time the top seed failed to advance to the title game.
Quinnipiac will meet the winner of No. 2 Marist and No. 6 Rider in the championship game on Monday at 2:00 p.m. on ESPNU.