ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (Mar. 11, 2023) – Iona University has captured the 2023 Hercules Tires Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Men’s Basketball Championship title on Saturday night at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ. The top-seeded Gaels defeated No. 11 Marist College, 76-55, claiming the program’s MAAC-leading 14th Championship crown.
No. 1 Iona – 76 | No. 11 Marist – 55
Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall | ATLANTIC CITY, NJ
Box Score (XML)
Box Score (PDF)
No. 1 Iona never trailed in a 76-55, wire-to-wire win over No. 11 Marist in the MAAC Championship final on Saturday night. The Gaels controlled the game from the opening tip and never looked in the rearview mirror. Iona controlled the opening half, leading for the entire frame. Tied at 2-2, the Gaels scored the game’s next eight points to go ahead 10-2. Marist would cut the deficit to four points but Iona scored five straight to push the lead to nine, owning a 15-6 lead. The Gaels maintained the advantage, keeping the Red Foxes no closer than a handful of points. With 1:51 to play in the half, Sadiku Ibine Ayo knocked down a three for Iona to extend the lead to its largest of the half at 11 points (33-22). The Gaels would take a 35-26 advantage into the locker. Marist battled back in the second, opening up the final period with a 20-9 run over the first 9:35 to knot the game at 46-46. Capping off the run was a triple from the wing by Kam Farris off a screen which made the near 4,000 fans in Boardwalk Hall erupt. Despite the Red Foxes’ run, Marist would fail to take the lead and that would be the closest they got in the final. For the remainder of the game, Iona outscored Marist by a wide margin of 30-9, leading to the 76-55 win. Iona has now won 14 straight games, dating back to Jan. 27 and has compiled 27 total wins on the season. The victory clinched the program’s second title in the past three years and seventh over the last 11 years since 2013. Iona’s Daniss Jenkins scored a game-high 27 points, earning the championship’s Most Valuable Player award. Walter Clayton Jr. also surpassed double-digit scoring for the Gaels, ending the game with 17 points and six rebounds. For Marist, Patrick Gardner finished his night with 23 points and Kam Farris added 12 points in the defeat.
Joining Jenkins on the All-Championship Team were teammates Clayton Jr. and Nelly Junior Joseph. All-Championship Team members from runner-up Marist were Isaiah Brickner and Patrick Gardner. Also making the team were Niagara’s Noah Thomasson and Saint Peter’s Jaylen Murray.
Iona receives the MAAC’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. The Gaels will learn their opponent and site for their NCAA berth during the 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Selection Show on Sunday, March 12 at 6pm on CBS.
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 42nd year of competition during the 2022-23 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan College, Marist College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.
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