Halftime Report

Sacred Heart and Iona have shown up to the game, but their offenses sure haven't. Sacred Heart is fully in control with a 47-26 lead over Iona.

Sacred Heart came into the match with some extra motivation after the defeat they were dealt the last time these two teams faced off. We'll see if they're able to flip the script or if it'll just be more of the same.

Who's Playing

Iona Gaels @ Sacred Heart Pioneers

Current Records: Iona 2-7, Sacred Heart 3-5

How To Watch

What to Know

Sacred Heart will be in front of their home fans on Friday, but a look at the spread shows they might need that home-court advantage. They and the Iona Gaels will face off in a MAAC battle at 7:00 p.m. ET at William Pitt Center - West Gym. The Gaels took a loss in their last matchup and will be looking to turn the tables on the Pioneers, who come in off a win.

Last Sunday, Sacred Heart beat Boston U. 73-65. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Pioneers.

Sacred Heart's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Amiri Stewart, who went 6 for 10 en route to 20 points plus two steals. Stewart's performance made up for a slower match against Holy Cross back in November. Another player making a difference was Nyle Ralph-Beyer, who almost dropped a double-double on 17 points and nine rebounds.

Meanwhile, while it was all tied up 35-35 at halftime, Iona was not quite Rice's equal in the second half on Sunday. They fell to the Owls 70-66. The Gaels have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

James Patterson put forth a good effort for the losing side as he almost dropped a double-double on 19 points and nine rebounds.

Even though they lost, Iona smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 17 offensive rebounds (they're ranked second in offensive rebounds per game overall). That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least ten offensive rebounds in nine consecutive games.

Sacred Heart's victory ended a four-game drought on the road and puts them at 3-5. As for Iona, their loss dropped their record down to 2-7.

Keep an eye on the arc in Friday's contest: Sacred Heart has been dynamite from deep this season, having drained 38.1% of their threes per game. It's a different story for Iona, though, as they've only made 30.5% of their threes this season. Given Sacred Heart's sizable advantage in that area, Iona will need to find a way to close that gap.

While only Sacred Heart took care of their fans the last time they played, both teams pleased bettors by covering the spread. Looking ahead, Iona is expected to win a tight contest, barring any buzzer beaters. This will be their first time playing as the favorites on the road this season.

Odds

Iona is a slight 1-point favorite against Sacred Heart, according to the latest college basketball odds.

The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Gaels as a 1.5-point favorite.


The over/under is 142.5 points.

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Series History

Iona won the only game these two teams have played in the last year.

  • Nov 10, 2023 - Iona 88 vs. Sacred Heart 81