2021-22 Monmouth Basketball Game Twenty-Five Preview

Monmouth Hawks (16-8, 8-5 MAAC) at Iona Gaels (19-5, 11-2 MAAC)
Sunday, February 13, 2022 - 1:00 p.m.
Hynes Center, New Rochelle, NY

TV
ESPN3
Play-by-Play: Gary Stanley
Analyst: Adam Finkelstein

RADIO
Monmouth Digital Network
Play-by-Play: Eddy Occhipinti

IONA COVID-19 POLICIES

Consistent with New York State Covid-19 Health and Safety Guidance for Large-Scale Indoor Events (PDF), all fans over the age of five attending indoor Iona College athletics competitions, including men's and women's basketball home contests at the Hynes Center this season, must provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test result within New York's defined time periods.  Policies for Iona games played at venues other than the Hynes Center (Madison Square Garden, Barclays Center, UBS Arena, etc.) will be set by the host facility.

Fans attending indoor non-ticketed Iona home contests (volleyball, swimming & diving, water polo) will need to complete a spectator screening form on ICGaels.com. Should it become necessary, contact tracing and any potential capacity limitations for basketball games will be managed through Iona's ticketing system.
 
Full vaccination is achieved two weeks after receiving a second dose of a two-dose vaccine series such as Pfizer and Moderna, or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine such as Johnson & Johnson's Janssen. Fully vaccinated individuals may present proof of vaccination at the Hynes Center through official paper documentation, digital application, or the New York State Excelsior Pass.
 
To help expedite the check-in process, Iona is offering its basketball season ticket holders the opportunity to request non-transferrable Vaccine Passports specific to Gaels' home events. For more information please email tickets@iona.edu.
 
Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals may present proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test administered within 72 hours of the event, or an FDA authorized negative antigen test performed within six hours of the event. All unvaccinated individuals over the age of five must show proof of a negative test.
 
All spectators are expected to wear masks at all times in the Hynes Center, regardless of vaccination status.
 
Iona Athletics remains committed to the health and safety of its student-athletes, coaches, staff, and fans. The above policies are subject to change.

QUICK BULLETS

-Monmouth leads the nation with 10 true road wins this season

-George Papas recently topped 1,000 career points (26th Hawk in DI history)
-This marks the second meeting of the season between MU and Iona
-Monmouth has won six of its last eight
-Marcus McClary broke the school record for career games played last Friday
-MU won its 100th ever MAAC game vs. Fairfield on 2/4
-MU's four fifth-year seniors are all scoring over 9 ppg
-George Papas has earned two MAAC Player of the Week honors this season while Shavar Reynolds has one
-George Papas was named to the Lou Henson Award Watch List
-Monmouth is closing out a two-game road weekend in New York

A MONMOUTH WIN WOULD...
-mark Monmouth's 17th win of the season
-be the 178th win of King Rice's career, tying Dave Calloway for second all-time in program history and tying the most in Division I
-be the Hawks 11th win on the road this season to lead the nation
-be the Hawks seventh win in the last nine games
-move the Hawks four games over .500 in MAAC play at 9-5
-make Monmouth the second MAAC team to 17 overall victories (Iona)
-earn Monmouth a split with Iona in the season series
-make Monmouth 4-1 in February
-be MU's ninth win all time against the Gaels
-snap a three-game losing streak against Iona
-mark Monmouth's fifth win at Hynes Center

NOTES FROM THE LAST TIME OUT...
-This marked Monmouth's 10th true road win, tied for the most in the nation.
-George Papas' third triple of the game was the 200th of his career, the seventh Hawk in program history to hit 200 from beyond the arc.
-Papas recorded six steals, the 18th player in school history to have six or more steals in a game. It's the most by a Hawk since Justin Robinson set the record with eight against Rider on March 4, 2016.
-Myles Foster was a perfect 5-5 from the floor, his third double-digit game of the year
-Myles Ruth was also in double figures off the bench for the third time this season.
-MU has won six of its last eight contests.
-Monmouth sweeps the season series from Manhattan, the third MAAC team the Hawks have swept this year (Fairfield, Canisius).
-Monmouth won at Draddy Gymnasium for the fifth consecutive time.
-MU has topped Manhattan eight times in a row.
-George Papas' 23 points was his 11th career game of 20+, eighth this year.
-Walker Miller worked into double digits for the 20th time this year, a team best.
-Nikkei Rutty grabbed eight rebounds, his 10th contest this year of 8+ boards.
-Monmouth outshot Manhattan 48% to 41.1%.
-The Hawks limited the Jaspers to 22.7% from deep.
-MU's defense limited MAAC leading scorer Jose Perez under his average, finishing 4-15 from the field and 0-4 from three after starting 0-8 FG.
-MU was better off the bench, 25-8.

MORE INFO ON THE ALL-TIME SERIES
-Iona leads the all-time series 14-8
-The series is 12-8 as MAAC foes
-MU has won four times previously at Hynes Center
-This is the final meeting of the season between the teams
-Iona has won three in a row in the series after MU won the prior two matchups
-This is the 23rd meeting all-time between the schools
-The Gaels survived in OT earlier this season, 86-85 in West Long Branch
-MU won six of nine in the series between 2017 and 2020