The scene was perfectly constructed. All the pieces were in place. The collapse couldn’t have been far.
Iona, losers of six of its previous seven games, coming by a combined 11 points, already had surrendered a double-digit lead to Loyola (Md.) and had seen its lead cut to two with less than four minutes left in Friday night’s game. With each turnover and each missed shot, you practically could see thought bubbles floating above the Gaels’ heads.
It couldn’t be happening again. It just couldn’t. And thanks to Tre Bowman, it didn’t.
The junior guard flew out of nowhere on Sean Armand’s missed 3-pointer, leapfrogging Robert Olson for a putback dunk which nearly incited a riot at the Hynes Athletic Center and sparked a technical foul from Greyhounds coach Jimmy Patsos, as the Gaels held on for a much-needed, 90-86 win, which clinched a first-round bye in next weekend’s MAAC Tournament.
“That was huge. It turned the tide and lifted our guys and the emotion of the guys got much better and we played much harder and we had faith all of a sudden,” Iona coach Tim Cluess said. “We needed it. We’ve had so many of those close game and we needed an electrifying play rather than the other team getting that all the time.”
In the battle between last year’s regular season champion, Iona (16-13, 10-7), and last year’s tournament champion, Loyola (20-10, 11-6), Momo Jones put on a performance worthy of the nationally televised stage. The senior guard carried the confidence of five men, shooting 11 of 15 for 35 points, including 10 straight points following Bowman’s dunk, which stretched the lead to 10.
When the Greyhounds crept close, Jones remembered the “scary feeling,” the one that’s become far too routine. But he was determined to change the momentum, change the season and change the close of his college career. He stayed aggressive, no longer settling for perimeter shots, slamming the pedal and tapping the brakes only when necessary.
He knew what to do. He knew how to do it. And Patsos knew it, too.
“I just told him if you need anybody to talk about you being a pro, call me,” Patsos said. “I just thought Momo Jones was the best player out there tonight. I thought Momo took control of the game. He had that look. He was too good.”
Iona held a 25-14 lead midway through the first half, but ended up tied at 36 at halftime after a slew of turnovers. Loyola took its biggest lead at 44-40 early in the second half, with Erik Etherly, Anthony Winbush and Olson combining for 66 points.
Jones found his wingman in David Laury, as the sophomore forward opened up the floor and gave the Gaels a rare interior presence, shooting 7 of 8 from the field for 14 points, along with eight rebounds, six assists and two blocks.
“It’s about time. He knows I think he can play like that every night,” Jones said. “If he comes out and plays like that every night we’re going to be a team to beat.”
Iona closes the regular season tomorrow against Siena, then heads to Springfield, Mass. to play in the quarterfinals of the MAAC Tournament on Saturday. The importance of the win couldn’t be understated. The Gaels always have been talented enough, and now, they believe they’re tough enough.
“It was big time. It let ourselves know that we had it in us, that we had it in our guts to pull it out,” Jones said. “It was more that than anything.”
