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Duke Basketball: What to Expect From Scouting the Iona Gaels

By Kevin Connelly

SYRACUSE, NY - NOVEMBER 14: Head coach Tim Cluess of the Iona Gaels reacts to a call against the Syracuse Orange during the first half at the Carrier Dome on November 14, 2017 in Syracuse, New York. (Photo by Rich Barnes/Getty Images)
SYRACUSE, NY - NOVEMBER 14: Head coach Tim Cluess of the Iona Gaels reacts to a call against the Syracuse Orange during the first half at the Carrier Dome on November 14, 2017 in Syracuse, New York. (Photo by Rich Barnes/Getty Images) /
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The Duke Blue Devils are headed to Pittsburgh to take on the MAAC Champions, the Iona Gaels in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament.

Now who are the Iona Gales and what are they about?

Iona comes into the game at 20-13 on the season and finished 4th in the MAAC regular season standings.

Iona ran through the MAAC Tournament defeating #5 seed Manhattan, #9 St. Peter’s, and #6 Fairfield.

The Gaels never played a seed better than them in this tournament. #1 seeded Rider lost to St. Peter’s and #2 seed Canisius lost to #7 Quinnipiac, with the #3 seed Niagara going down to Fairfield.

Iona played three games this year against major conference teams and lost all three.

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In the second game of the season, Iona went up to the Carrier Dome and lost to Syracuse 61-52. A  month later the Gaels went to Madison Square Garden and lost by 10 to St. John’s 69-59. Finally, Iona went to Rhode Island and took another hard fought loss, this time by 6 points.

There are no two ways about it. Iona is a very small team.

Out of New Rochelle, New York, the Gaels only have one player on their roster listed at 6’10”. The player is Andrija Ristanovic, who has redshirted this season.

Two players are listed at 6’9″, Tyrell Williams and Branden Aughburghs. Aughburghs transferred into Iona and is ineligible to play this year and Williams only averages 2.4 minutes per game.

Next up is Iona’s leading rebounder, TK Edogi, who is listed at 6’8″. Edogi averages 7.1 rebounds per game.

Iona does have five players who average double-digit points; Rickey McGill, E.J. Crawford, Roland Griffin, Deyshonee Much, and Schadrac Casimir. None of those players are listed taller than 6’6″.

The Gaels can light up the scoreboard, however. Iona averages 80 points per game and shoots 42% from the field and 38% from three-point range.

This is the third staright year Iona is in the Tournament. The previous two years they lost in the First Round to Iowa State and Oregon, respectivley.

Duke is clearly better than Iona, but this is the NCAA Tournament, it’s win or go home. They cannot take any opponent lightly.

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