JERSEY CITY, NJ – A 15-5 run by the Iona College Gaels (17-5, 9-2 MAAC) put the Saint Peter's College Peacocks (4-18, 3-8 MAAC) in an 18-point deficit that the could not come back from in a 64-40 loss for the Peacocks. Saint Peter's has know dropped four straight and their last two at home. Darius Conley led Saint Peter's with 13 points.
Iona won the tip and scored the first six points, but a 10-2 run by Saint Peter's gave them their first lead at 10-8 with 7:51 to play in the first half. The Peacocks then led 12-11, but a 10-3 run to end the half gave the Gaels a 21-15 halftime lead. It was the lowest scoring half of the season for both teams as the Peacocks lowest was 17 vs. Utah State in the first half and the Gaels lowest was 23 in the second half at Siena.
Darius Conley led Saint Peter's with six first half points. Mike Glover scored six to lead the Gaels. Saint Peter's shot 30.4% from the field in the first half, while Iona shot 33.3%. The Peacocks outrebounded the Gaels 21-13, but committed nine turnovers to Iona's four.
Iona scored the first four points of the second to up their lead to 10 points at 25-15. The Peacocks then got to with five, but a 5-0 spurt by the Gaels gave them a 30-20 lead with 16:34 to play. Saint Peter's got to within eight at 32-24, but Iona then used a 15-5 run to take their largest lead at 18 points, 47-29 at the 9:28 mark. The Peacocks trailed by as many as 26 the rest of the way before falling by the 24-point margin.
Conley also had six rebounds, an assist and a steal. Chris Burke added nine points off the bench. Glover recorded a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Scott Machado added 15 points. The Peacocks shot just 34.8% from the field and allowed the Gaels to shoot nearly 50%. Iona won the board battle 32-29 and forced 17 turnovers, while committing just 11.
Saint Peter's will head to the Capital Region of New York on Friday night to face the Siena College Saints at the Times Union Center. Tip-off is slated for 7pm.
