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The Iona Gaels drop their second straight game to fall to 0-2 on the season after falling to the Oregon State Beavers on Tuesday night. The highly touted Gaels are not living up to the hype after falling by 20+ points for the second consecutive game to open the season. The newly revamped front court of the Gaels is simply not getting it done on either end of the floor. Iona allowed 44 points in the paint tonight against the Beavers.
The first half was back and forth until an Olaf Schaftenaar bucket tied the game at 25 with just under 5 minutes remaining. This bucket would jumpstart an 18-4 run fueled by 7 points for Langston Morris-Walker and 6 points by Tres Tinkle. The Beavers would take a 41-29 lead into the locker room thanks in part to a combination of 5-of-10 shooting from behind the arc and limiting the Gaels to only 4 fast break points in the half. Iona's A.J. English did everything in his power to keep it close ending the half with 11 of his team's 29 points.
Things wouldn't get any better for the Gaels in the second half as the Beavers picked up right where they left off. Six players would ultimately score in double figures for the Beavers lead by freshman big man, Drew Eubanks, who shot 8-for-9 from the floor for a team high 19 points on the evening. Morris-Walker also had a big night ending with 17 points. Iona would make a few hints at a run throughout the second half but never was able to string baskets together to pull within striking distance. The dagger came on an Eubanks two handed put-back slam off a Gary Payton II missed layup with just over 2 minutes remaining that would put the Beavers up 84-69.
English would finish the night with 20 points on 4/17 shooting. Deyshonee Much and Isaiah Williams would join him in double digits with 15 and 11 points respectively. As a whole the Gaels were held to just 11-of-36 from downtown. In the Gaels first two games this season they are averaging just 65.5 points per game which is down a whole 13.5 points from their season average (79 ppg) last year. Similarly the Gaels are giving up 88 points per game this season compared to 73 last season.
Tim Cluess and his Gaels will have to regroup quickly as they have just a two days to travel back to New York and prepare before facing Delaware at home on Friday. Oregon State will take their first road trip of the season for a matchup with Rice on Thursday.