Iona Claims Third-Straight MAAC Men’s Basketball Championship
No. 4 Iona College - 83 | No. 6 Fairfield University - 71
2018 Men’s Basketball Championship Game
Times Union Center
Albany, NY
No. 4 Iona College (20-13) defeated No. 6 Fairfield University (17-16), 83-71, to claim its third consecutive MAAC Men’s Basketball Championship. The Gaels become the third team in MAAC history to win three-straight titles, they join Siena College (2008-10) and former member La Salle University (1988-90). Iona has won four of the last six MAAC Men’s Basketball Championships.
The win marks the third time in MAAC history that the No. 4 seed went on to win the Championship and it was the first time since Iona did so in 2013. The 12-point margin of victory was the largest since Siena defeated Rider University by 21 points in 2008.
With the win, the Gaels have earned the leagues’ automatic bid to the 2018 NCAA Tournament. The selection show is set to air on Sunday, March 11, at 6 p.m. on TBS.
Iona Notes:
- Junior forward Roland Griffin scored a career-high 29 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field. Griffin went 11-of-11 from the free-throw line, which is tied for the second most makes from the line without a miss in MAAC Men’s Basketball Championship history. Griffin also posted career-highs in assists (5), and steals (4). He pulled down seven rebounds in 37 minutes of action. Griffin was named a member of the 2018 MAAC Men’s Basketball All-Championship Team.
- Graduate guard Zach Lewis recorded his second 20-point performance over the course of three games. The guard took home the 2018 MAAC Men’s Basketball Championship Most Valuable Player after he averaged 19.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.3 steals per game.
- Junior guard Schadrac Casimir earned All-Championship Team honors. The guard posted five points and three rebounds in the Championship final.
- Junior guard Rickey McGill registered 10 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals in 36 minutes of play.
- The Gaels shot 47.5-percent from the field, 30.8-percent from behind the arc, and 85.2-percent from the free-throw line.
Fairfield Notes:
- Senior guard Tyler Nelson scored a team-high 25 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the field and 6-of-8 shooting from three-point range. The 25-point performance marked the 19th time this season that Nelson scored over 20 points in a game, which is the second-most in the MAAC.
- Freshman guard Jesus Cruz scored 14 points and grabbed four rebounds.
- Nelson and senior guard Jerome Segura were named to the All-Championship Team from Fairfield.
All-Championship Team:
Nick Griffin – Saint Peter’s
Cameron Young – Quinnipiac
Tyler Nelson – Fairfield
Jerome Segura – Fairfield
Schadrac Casimir – Iona
Roland Griffin – Iona
Zach Lewis – Iona (MVP)
About the MAAC Basketball Championships:
For all information on the 2018 MAAC Basketball Championships, visit maacsports.com/basketball. Be sure to follow the conversation on all social media platforms by using #MAACHoops18.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 37
th year of competition during the 2017-18 academic year. Current Conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.