Mount St. Mary's Stuns Iona in Thrilling 83-76 Upset

Mount St. Mary's pulled off a stunning upset at the Hynes Athletics Center, taking down Iona 83-76 in a conference matchup that will have real consequences for both teams' tournament chances. The Mountaineers, ranked 306 in the net rankings, were predicted to lose by 11.2 points according to CHD Scout, but they had other plans. Led by Luke McEldon's 17 points, Mount St. Mary's came out strong, building a 39-34 lead at halftime and never looking back.

Iona's Lamin Sabally did his best to keep the Gaels in the game, posting an impressive 20 points and 11 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Mountaineers' balanced attack. Mount St. Mary's had three players score in double figures, including Trey Deveaux, who matched McEldon's 17 points, and Arlandus Keyes, who added 15 points and 8 rebounds. The Gaels, on the other hand, struggled to find consistency beyond Sabally, with CJ Anthony chipping in 14 points and 8 assists, and Luke Jungers scoring 12 points.

The second half saw Mount St. Mary's continue to push the pace, outscoring Iona 44-42 to seal the 7-point victory. The win is a massive boost to the Mountaineers' resume, as it counts as a Quadrant 3 victory, while Iona will have to swallow a Quadrant 4 loss. The Gaels, ranked 224 in the net rankings, will likely feel the sting of this upset, as it hurts their chances of making a deep run in the tournament.

CHD Scout's prediction of an Iona win by 11.2 points looked shaky from the opening tip, as Mount St. Mary's came out aggressive and never trailed by more than 2 points in the first half. The Mountaineers' ability to control the tempo and limit Iona's scoring opportunities was the difference-maker in the game.

This upset win will have real consequences for Mount St. Mary's tournament chances, as it adds a much-needed quality win to their resume. The Mountaineers want to build on this momentum as they continue through their conference schedule. On the other hand, Iona must regroup and refocus, as this loss could potentially drop them down the rankings and make their path to the tournament more difficult.

The resume implications of this result are clear: Mount St. Mary's has significantly improved its chances of making a postseason run, while Iona must rebound quickly to avoid falling behind in the conference standings. With this win, the Mountaineers have proven that they can compete with anyone in their conference, and they want to carry this momentum forward into their next game.