QU Women’s Basketball Leans on McClure, Martucci Down the Stretch to Defeat Iona, 53-45

Friday, February 17

Hamden, CT

5:00 PM

Quinnipiac University

21-6, 14-3MAAC

Iona

15-11, 10-7MAAC

Iona College

Quinnipiac

QU Women’s Basketball Leans on McClure, Martucci Down the Stretch to Defeat Iona, 53-45

2/17/2017 9:34:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Bobcats Snap Two-Game Losing Streak Against Iona, Move to 14-3 in MAAC Play

By: QU Sports Information

HAMDEN, Connecticut – Another defensive struggle in a rematch of the 2016 MAAC Championship game amounted to another classic but the Quinnipiac women's basketball team's lockdown defense proved stingy enough to claim the 53-45 win over Iona on Friday night from the TD Bank Sports Center.

A big win over the defending MAAC Champion keeps Quinnipiac (21-6) on-par with Rider as both teams stand atop the conference standings at 14-3 in league play but thanks to the Bobcats' sweep of the Broncs, Quinnipiac would own the No. 1 seed if both teams finished with the same record. The eight-point victory snapped a two-game skid against the Gaels (15-11, 10-7 MAAC) while also clinching a first round bye in the MAAC Tournament for Quinnipiac.

Just three weeks following a 58-44 loss to Iona in New Rochelle, the Bobcats were happy to see the Gaels at home where Quinnipiac is now 11-1 on the season and a perfect 9-0 against league foes in 2016-17. Since falling to Manhattan, 52-42, on December 6, 2015, the Bobcats have won 18 straight MAAC home games and are a staggering 28-1 (.966) since the start of 2014-15 in league outings played at home.

This game was won on the defensive end as Adily Martucci (Waterford, Connecticut) spearheaded a gritty team performance holding the 2016 MAAC Tournament MVP Marina Lizarazu to a season-low four points on 1-of-9 shooting with four turnovers in 40 minutes of action. Lizarazu dominated the first meeting this season, recording a game high 24 points (7-16 FG, 10-12 FT) as she led her team to a 14-point win at home back on January 28.

It was evident from the opening tip that defense would tell the story of this game as the score read 12-11 in favor of the Gaels after one. Iona scored the first four points of the game but it was back-and-forth throughout the next eight minutes as the lead changed hands three times before Alexis Lewis hit a runner with 11 seconds left that gave the Gaels the 12-11 lead.

The seesawing continued as the second quarter started but points came at a premium with both sides combining for just 19 points (10-9 Iona outscored Quinnipiac in the frame). Iona stretched their lead to as many as four points in the final two minutes but Edel Thornton (Gurranabraher, Ireland) cashed in with two free throws to make it 22-20 with the Gaels out front at the half.

With just 20 points at the half, Martucci led the charge in the halftime locker room and Quinnipiac played inspired ball ripping off a 7-0 run as the Gaels were held scoreless for the first 5:24 of the second half. Martucci ignited the run, canning her second three-pointer of the game while Jen Fay (Lynbrook, New York) and Aryn McClure (Springfield Gardens, New York) each followed with a two-point make.

Quinnipiac's lead later ballooned to as many as eight in the waning minutes of the third quarter as the Bobcats outscored the Gaels, 16-6, before Lewis drained a three-pointer to make it 38-33 in favor of the Bobcats heading into the fourth quarter.

Under constant alert playing against the supremely talented Iona backcourt of Lizarazu and Lewis, the threat a Gael run lingered throughout and Iona did make their run as a 6-0 run made it just a two-point lead for the Bobcats with 6:25 remaining.

Even with the pressure mounting, Quinnipiac's defense never wavered down the stretch as Iona was held to just one inconsequential field goal in the final 6:25 of play. Iona missed six straight shots and finished 1-for-10 in that span while McClure took over, scoring seven of her 13 points in the fourth quarter including a crucial three-point play that boosted a three-point advantage into a six-point Bobcat lead with 4:48 left.

Iona closed the gap at the free throw line to as few as four points with 1:07 remaining but Quinnipiac called McClure's number on isolation sets as she drained clocked and cashed in at the free throw line to ice the game and a key win away for the Bobcats.

Martucci tallied a team high 14 points (5-13 FG, 2-5 3FG), giving her double digit point totals in four of the last five games. McClure added 13 points (11 in the second half) while contributing all across the scoresheet with four assists, four steals and three rebounds in just 29 minutes (never left the floor in the second half). Sarah Shewan (Russell, Ontario) tallied nine points while Paula Strautmane (Riga, Latvia) chipped in six points with seven rebounds.

Lewis produced at an elite level for the Gaels as the sophomore guard recorded 19 points and 14 rebounds but struggled from the floor as she went 6-of-17 overall and 3-of-10 from three while scoring just seven points in the second half. Karynda DuPree posted 10 points and 10 rebounds but was forced into six turnovers.

Quinnipiac look to hold steady atop the MAAC standings on Sunday afternoon as the Bobcats hit the road for a 3 PM tip-off against the Manhattan Jaspers.