NEW ROCHELLE, NY – Two-time MAAC Player of the Week C.J. Anthony dished out 13 assists and scored the go-ahead basket with 1:31 remaining as Iona snuck past Siena Basketball 75-72 at the Hynes Athletics Center.
 
Gavin Doty delivered a masterful performance, scoring 20 of his career-high 31 points in the second half to help Siena (9-5, 2-1) erase as much as a 12-point deficit with 12 minutes remaining. Doty equaled career-bests in adding 12 rebounds and five steals to record his third double-double of the season for the Saints.
 
Toby Harris tallied 25 points on 9-15 shooting including 6-12 from three for the top three-point shooting team in the MAAC in Iona (10-5, 2-2) which connected on 11-28 (39%) from distance. Anthony added 10 points to finish with a double-double for the Gaels which shot an even 50% overall and dished out 22 total assists.
 
Iona led for nearly 34 minutes, but the 128^th all-time meeting between the longtime foes was a see-saw affair which featured 10 total lead changes for the evening.
 
Siena scored nine straight midway through an up-tempo first half to claim a five-point lead, only for the Gaels to respond with the ensuing 15 points over the next 3:13 to claim a double-digit lead at 35-25 with 3:50 remaining. Iona made eight first half threes and recorded assists on 12 of 14 made field goals in the opening frame to take a 41-36 lead at the break.
 
The Gaels shot 58% in the second half and pushed their lead to as much as a dozen at 60-48 with 12:41 left before Doty and the defense brought the Saints back.
 
Siena forced 12 second half turnovers and swiped 10 of their season-high 13 steals in the stanza, as the Saints patented press fueled the rally. Meanwhile, Doty scored the first 10 points of an 18-4 response spanning 4:43, which Brendan Coyle capped with the go-ahead three to put Siena back on top 66-64 with 7:24 to go.
 
A back-and-forth affair down the stretch, Doty provided the Saints with their final lead, making a pair of free throws followed by a steal and assist on the go-ahead score to make it 72-71 with 1:47 to play.
 
But Anthony answered on the ensuing possession, reserve Keshawn Williams added a clutch basket on the possession thereafter, and a final Siena look at a potential game-tying three was off the mark as Iona survived to prevail for the sixth straight time in the series, and earn their fifth win in a row over the Saints in New Rochelle. The last three Gaels wins in the series have now come by a total of eight points.
 
Francis Folefac scored 14 of his 18 points in the first half for Siena which has now dropped three straight after equaling the program's best 11-game start in 75 years. Justice Shoats added 12 points, seven rebounds, and five assists for the Saints which dished out 17 assists and held a 20-5 advantage in points off turnovers.
 
Williams finished with 11 points and Lamin Sabally contributed 10 for Iona which was playing its first home game in 23 days.
 
Siena will look to get back on track and salvage its season-long four-game road trip when they face Rider Sunday at 2 p.m. in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.