FINAL SCORE: Iona 71, Vermont 50
UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Berrick JeanLouis poured in a game-high 23 points as Iona (2-1) defeated Vermont (1-4) 71-50 in the Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase on Friday at the Mohegan Sun Arena.
 
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Box Score
 
COACH'S QUOTE
"I have to give Iona credit, they were much better than us today," Cioffi Men's Basketball Head Coach John Becker said. "That performance is probably on me, you know, for bad scheduling -- we've been on the road for 11 days and traveled across country. But, that's an excuse and we have to find a way to be better than we were today."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Gaels opened the night on a 7-0 run over the first 1:42 of the game, with JeanLouis scoring five of those points.
• Finn Sullivan snapped the Iona run with a layup, and Dylan Penn pulled the Cats to within a possession when he made the score 7-4 with 16:55 on the clock.
• The Gaels countered with a 14-4 run, ­­­to take a 23-8 lead, its largest of the half, with 10:31 left in the frame.
• Vermont began to chip away at the Iona lead, outscoring the Gaels 10-2 over the next 4:54. Perry Smith Jr. finished a layup to cut the lead to 25-20 with 5:37 left in the half.
• The Gaels briefly brought their lead back up to 10 points with 4:45 remaining, but the Catamounts pulled back to within five points when Robin Duncan sank two free throws to make the score 33-28 with 1:52 left.
• Daniss Jenkins and Walter Clayton Jr. made baskets down the stretch to give Iona a 37-28 lead heading into the break.
• Vermont chipped away at the Iona lead early in the second half, but Iona's offense sparked up a 16-6 run over 7:52 of the middle part of the frame. JeanLouis threw down a dunk and converted a layup on consecutive possessions to put the Gaels up 64-44 with 5:32 remaining.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Penn led the Catamounts with 10 points on a 4-for-7 shooting night. The fifth-year senior went 2-for-2 from the free throw line.
• Smith Jr. and Nick Fiorillo registered eight points each. Smith Jr. made 3-of-7 field goal attempts and picked up five rebounds in 15 minutes played. Fiorillo was 4-for-8 from the field.

UP NEXT
The Catamounts return to the Connecticut on Tuesday (Nov. 22) when they visit Yale in New Haven. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. at John J. Lee Ampitheater, and will broadcast live on ESPN+. Fans can listen to the action for free on the Vermont Sports Network, from Learfield on The Game, which will air on 97.1 FM in Burlington, 105.9 FM in Plattsburgh, and 960 AM around the rest of the region. The radio broadcast is also available via the Varsity Network App with Brian McLaughlin on the call.
 
McGee Automotive Group is the presenting sponsor of Vermont men's basketball