Box Score
New Rochelle, N.Y. – The Long Island University men’s basketball struggled at Iona on Wednesday night and saw its modest two-game win streak snapped with an 80-64 loss at the Hynes Athletic Center. The Blackbirds fell to 4-4 overall on the season.
Iona (5-4) used a 7-0 spurt early in the second half to build a 15-point cushion that was more than enough to hold off LIU. Following a three-point play by freshman
Kenny Onyechi, the Gaels rattled off eight straight points before a three-point play by junior
David Hicks interrupted the spurt, but a three-pointer Milan Prodanovic made it 57-42 on the next possession with 13:38 to play.
LIU managed to get back within nine points after a foul shot by Onyechi was followed by consecutive three-pointers from Hicks and junior
Kyle Johnson to make it 58-49. Iona never let the lead fall below nine from there and used a 14-3 run, including five straight points from Scott Machado to build a 76-56 lead with 3:14 to play. The Blackbirds outscored the Gaels, 8-4, down the stretch for the final tally.
The Blackbirds never recovered after falling behind 7-0 to open the game. Senior
Jaytornah Wisseh converted LIU’s first field goal at the 14:02 mark, but the visitors still faced a 16-6 deficit. After a three-pointer by Prodanovic made it 19-6, Johnson scored five straight to start a 9-0 run as Long Island managed to cut the deficit to four points, but that was as close as it ever got.
LIU trailed 26-22 following a foul shot by Onyechi before Kyle Smyth hit a three-pointer for Iona to push the advantage to seven. Smyth hit another three-pointer with 21 seconds left in the half to give the Gaels a 37-27 lead at the break.
Hicks matched career-highs with 18 points and 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the year and Johnson chipped in with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Onyechi set a career-high with 17 points and added four blocked shots, but the Blackbirds struggled from the floor as a team shooting just 36 percent from the field and 54 percent from the foul line.
Iona forced 21 turnovers and hit 11 three-pointers to overcome a 45-33 LIU advantage on the glass. The Gaels were led by Smyth’s 18 points, while Mike McFadden scored 12 of his 16 points in the first half.
Long Island is back in action at Lafayette on Saturday, Dec. 12, at 1:00 p.m.