Stony Brook, N.Y. - Senior Kirsten Jeter (Elmont, N.Y.) led three Seawolves in double-figures with a game-high 16 points but the Iona Gaels used a late 9-0 run to defeat the Stony Brook University women's basketball team, 71-67, on Sunday at Pritchard Gymnasium.
Named the Seawolves America East Player of the Game, Jeter also pulled down 10 rebounds as she recorded her first double-double this season. Sophomore Sam Landers (Hamilton, Va.) added 15 while junior Destiny Jacobs (Glen Burnie, Md.) chipped in with 14 points and seven rebounds.
Stony Brook led 65-62 following a jumper from junior Tamiel Murray (Teneck, N.Y.) with 2:32 left in regulation but Catherline Lutz answered with a long jumper before Diana Hubbard hit a jumper with 30 seconds left to give Iona a 66-65 lead.
The Seawolves then turned it over on their next possession and Iona then made five of six free throws in the final 23 seconds to seal the victory. Anda Ivkovic led the Gaels with 15 points while Kristina Ford recorded a double-double (13 points, 12 rebounds).
Stony Brook jumped to a 7-2 lead just five minutes in behind two hoops from Jeter and a three from Murray. Iona rallied to within two on a Hubbard three before Jeter answered with a fast-break bucket.
The Gaels tied it at 16 on a Ford lay-in with eight minutes to go but Jeter then scored on a tough fade-away jumper in the lane to give Stony Brook the lead back. Iona took its first lead of the game on a three-point play from Ivkovic with 4:04 remaining and Tomica Bacic followed with a put-back hoop to make it 23-20.
SBU scored eight of the next 12 points to take a one-point lead but Samantha Kopp scored with 20 seconds left to send Iona into the break with a 29-28 lead. The Gaels scored the first points of the second half before Jeter scored two straight hoops to give Stony Brook a one-point lead.
Iona answered with six straight points to take its largest lead of the game but the Seawolves responded with six straight points of their own, four from Jacobs, to re-gain the lead. Iona went ahead 41-38 on a three from Ford with 15:09 left, but the Seawolves then went on an 11-2 run over the next three minutes to take a 49-43 lead. Murray and Landers each hit a three during the run.
The Seawolves led by eight following a free throw from Jacobs before Catherine Lutz hit back-to-back threes to cut the Stony Brook lead to two with eight minutes left in the game. But Landers answered with a three from the right wing to give the Seawolves a 57-52 advantage.
Stony Brook won the battle of the boards, 48-42, but the Gaels scored 18 points off 22 Seawolves turnovers. SBU held Iona to 39.1 percent shooting, the second straight opponent it's held under 40 percent shooting.
The Seawolves will now play eight of their next nine games on the road beginning with match-up at George Mason on Thursday. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
