NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – Niagara was down by four entering the final minute versus the Iona Gaels, but was unable to get any closer as the Gaels would win 65-56. Sophomore forward Liz Flooks (White Plains, N.Y.) led all scorers with 20 points.
“We competed tonight against one of the better teams in the conference,” head coach Kendra Faustin said. I’m happy with our defensive pressure, too; we held (Thazina) Cook to 12 points and she is a tough match-up for us.”
Niagara (1-19, 0-9 MAAC) answered the Gaels (12-9, 5-5 MAAC) shot-for-shot in a back-and-forth first half.
Flooks, a local native, drained a 3-pointer to give NU a 27-25 lead with 4:22 in the first half. Iona would regain the lead at the three minute mark, 32-29, and took a 37-33 halftime lead. Flooks led all scorers at halftime with 13 points and the Purple Eagles shot 56 percent from the field.
The Gaels increased the lead to 10 early in the second half, but the Purple Eagles stayed composed on offense and increased their defensive pressure.
Jaclyn Konieczka (Parma, Ohio) made an outside jumper to cut the lead to 48-45 with 8:35 remaining.
Flooks, then, hit a step back 3-pointer to tie the game at 51-51 with 4:20 left in a 16-6 NU run.
Iona’s Tomica Bacic hit a fade-away jumper in the paint to extend the Gaels’ lead to 56-52 with one minute left. Niagara’s en suing possession ended in a turnover and the parade to the free-throw line would begin for Iona.
The Gaels went 9-for-11 at the line in the final 40 seconds to cap the win.
Flooks finished the game with a game-high 20 points and was 4-for-4 from behind the arc. Niagara also shot a higher percentage from the field (44 percent) and the 3-point line (50 percent) than Iona.
“Liz (Flooks) was extraordinary in front of her home crowd support,” Faustin said. “Iona is a team capable of going on an offensive explosion and we kept them under 60 points until they made free throws at the end. We shot the ball well, but we need to work on our turnovers.”
The Purple Eagles return home to face the Rider Broncs on Friday, Jan. 30.
