ATLANTIC CITY, NJ – Iona scored 16 unanswered points down the stretch while holding the Saints scoreless for 8:14 as the ninth-seeded Gaels defeated No. 1 Siena Basketball 55-52 in the MAAC Quarterfinals at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall.
 
Iona (10-5) advances to the MAAC Semifinals Friday to take on the winner of tomorrow's 4/5 matchup between Marist and Niagara.
 
Asante Gist scored 16 points to lead the Gaels who have won all 11 MAAC Tournament meetings vs. Siena (12-5). Gist was just 2-15 from the floor for Iona which shot just 25.5%, but connected on all 10 of his free throw attempts. The Gaels shot 20-24 (83%) from the free throw line, while the Saints were just 7-16 in a three-point decision.
 
Jackson Stormo scored 14 points on 6-8 shooting to lead Siena, while First Team All-MAAC selection Jalen Pickett added 13 points, eight rebounds, and five assists.
 
The matchup pitted two MAAC heavyweights in the Saints and Iona who have combined to win the past five MAAC Championships, and 18 of the league's 39 titles overall. Moreover, Siena and the Gaels boasted the top-two conference win percentages in MAAC action during the regular season, but were matched up in the quarterfinal round as a result of the amended tiebreakers due to the uneven league schedule.
 
Defense reigned supreme as the squads battled it out for 40 minutes. The Saints led by as many as six late in the first half, and took a 24-21 lead at the break thanks to an Aidan Carpenter three to beat the halftime buzzer.
 
Siena went on a 9-2 spurt midway through the second half to open their biggest lead at 39-30 with 9:54 to go following a pair of seemingly momentum-altering dunks. The Saints still maintained as much as a nine-point advantage at 42-33 with 8:33 left.
 
But Iona locked in down the stretch, rattling off a decisive 16-0 run over 7:51. Siena missed all six of its shots and committed four turnovers during the drought, which was capped by a pair of Gist free throws to stake the Gaels to a 49-42 lead with 31 seconds left.
 
Isaiah Ross scored 14 points and added seven rebounds for Iona who was +10 on the glass (39-29) including 16 offensive rebounds. Berrick JeanLouis added 13 points and five steals for the Gaels who forced the Saints into 17 turnovers.