Marist University Athletics

(14-12, 11-6 MAAC)

1st 2nd F Iona 31 23  54  Marist 26  33  59  Box Score | Postgame Video | Facebook Gallery | Infographic

(17-9, 13-4 MAAC)

	Stat Comparison Iona Marist  FG Made-Attempted 20-62   23-61  FG Percentage .320  .380   3P Made-Attempted  6-22 10-33   3P Percentage  .270 .300   FT Made-Attempted  8-10 3-6   FT Percentage .800   .500  Rebounds 42  38   Assists 12 18   Turnovers 9  9
	Individual Leaders  Stat Iona Marist  Points  Adams, 15  Jarosz, 18  Rebounds  Adams, 19  Gomez-Martinez, 9  Assists  Lizarazu, 5  Gomez-Martinez, 11  Steals  Martinez/Adams, 2  Coffey, 3   Blocks  Dupree/Adams, 1  Jarosz, 2
	Up Next Who: Fairfield When: Mon. Feb. 23 - 7 p.m. Where: Fairfield, Conn. Audio | Full Schedule

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – A balanced effort from the Marist women's basketball team (17-9, 13-4 MAAC) earned them a 59-54 victory over the Iona Gaels (14-12, 11-6) in their last home game of the season on senior night at McCann Arena.

Seniors Natalie Gomez-Martinez (Andover, Mass.) and center Tori Jarosz (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.) played huge roles in the Red Foxes senior night victory but not without a little help from the juniors and a freshman.

Gomez-Martinez finished with no points but tallied 11 assists and was one rebound short of the double-double with nine boards. Jarosz missed her sixth consecutive 20 point game, but just barely, tallying 18 points, four rebounds and two blocks in 38 minutes of action including the game tying free throws and lay-in to extend the Red Foxes lead to five.

Junior guard Sydney Coffey hit the go-ahead shot for the Red Foxes from straight on with a little over a minute left to give the Red Foxes their first lead since 17:42 left in the first half when the Red Foxes led 7-5. The big shot was assisted by Gomez-Martinez who notched her career-high 11^th of the game on that play.

Junior forward Madeline Blais (Exeter, N.H) hit four threes in the game, finishing with 16 points and eight rebounds. Freshman forward Payton Birchmeier (Corunna, Mich.) scored 10 points to give the Red Foxes their fourth double-digit scorer of the evening. This was just the third time this season the Red Foxes had four scorers in double digits, winning in every other occurrence.

The Gaels came out on fire hitting the first three shots they took from behind the arc mixed in with some points inside from junior forward Joy Adams, but the Red Foxes kept pace with some hot shooting as well. Blais totaled 11 points in the quarter, nine of which came from behind the arc, and grabbed seven rebounds in the half. Jarosz added six points, three rebounds and two blocks in the half.

As a team the Red Foxes finished the half 10-for-33 (.303) from the field and 6-for-21 (.286) from behind the arc. The Red Foxes didn't make a single trip to the free throw stripe in the first half. The Gaels didn't fare much better from the field, shooting 11-for-31 (.355) and went cold from the three point line to finish the half 3-for-10 (.300) after hitting their first three from deep.

The Red Foxes went into the locker room trailing 31-26 and with the comeback are now 3-9 when trailing at halftime.

Overall for the Gaels, Adams picked up her second double-double of the year against the Red Foxes with 15 points and 19 rebounds. Iona's Damika Martinez, who set the record for most points in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference women's basketball history earlier in the game, scored 13 points and dished out four assists. The Red Foxes as a team did a tremendous job containing Martinez, holding her to just 4-for-21 shooting.

The Red Foxes play their final three games on the road starting off against Fairfield on Monday, Feb. 23 at 7 P.M. The Red Foxes first conference loss of the season came against the Stags back in the beginning of January.