Transfers lift Iona past Drake and into Shootout semifinals

Sam Cassell Jr. and Jon Severe offered a graduate course in clutch shooting Thursday at the GCI Great Alaska Shootout.

The two seniors, both graduate transfers, hit big shots to lead the Iona Gaels to their first win of the season, a 64-53 victory over the Drake Bulldogs that puts Iona in Friday's semifinals at the Alaska Airlines Center.

Severe provided a huge spark by draining four 3-pointers to rally the Gaels early in the second half, and Cassell knocked down a 20-footer with less than six minutes left to tie the game and ignite a 14-0 run that decided things.

Both players joined Iona (1-2) during the offseason after earning their degrees at other schools — Cassell came to Iona from UConn, Severe from Fordham. According to published reports, playing time was a factor in each player's decision to switch schools.

A fairly new NCAA rule allows athletes to transfer from one Division I school to another and play immediately provided they have earned a bachelor's degree at the school they're leaving. Without a degree, a transfer must sit out a season before becoming eligible.

Iona is one of this season's beneficiaries of the rule.

"Sam and Jon have been great," Iona coach Tim Cluess said. "As much off the court as on. … It's great to have veterans."

Severe scored 14 points for the Gaels, including nine straight that brought Iona back from a 38-28 deficit early in the second half.

He hit back-to-back 3s in a 42-second span and added another about a minute later to cut Drake's lead to 38-37. After Ore Arogudade hit a 3-pointer for Drake, Cassell fired up a 20-footer and Severe added another 3-pointer after a Drake turnover to give Iona its first lead of the half, 42-41 with about 13 minutes left.

The game stayed close for the next seven minutes, and then Cassell hit the long-range shot that sparked Iona's decisive run. He scored twice in a 90-second span that saw the Gaels turn a 52-50 deficit into a 59-52 lead and prompt a Drake timeout with a little more than three minutes to go.

The Gaels scored five more points to build their lead to 64-52 before Drake (1-3) finally scored. A free throw by Kory Kuenstling with 50 seconds provided the Bulldogs with their first points since Reed Timmer's 3-pointer gave them a 52-50 lead at the 6:07 mark.

"They hit some tough shots," Drake coach Ray Giacoletti said. "Those were shots they needed if they were gonna win. I was more disappointed (about) turning the ball over 19 times."

Drake had a size advantage and a rebounding advantage, but its offense stalled at the worst possible time.

After Cassell tied the game, the Bulldogs went six possessions without a point. They missed four field goal attempts, they turned the ball over once and they missed twice from the foul line.

Timmer finished with 14 points and five rebounds and De'Antae McMurray scored 12 points with three assists to lead the Bulldogs. But they were among five Bulldogs with multiple turnovers.

"Six empty trips and 19 turnovers," Giacoletti said. "That's what's disappointing."

For Iona, Deyshonee Much had six of his team's 13 steals and drained four 3-pointers for 14 points, and Jordan Washington worked inside to get 13 points and five rebounds.

Cassell's seven assists and Much's six helped Iona reach its goal of 20 assists per game for the first time this season. The Gaels tallied assists on all but four of their 24 field goals.

"We made the extra passes today," Cluess said, and Iona is in the win column because of it.

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Iona defeated Drake 64-43 in a first round basketball game at the GCI Great Alaska Shootout at the Alaska Airlines Center at UAA in Anchorage, Alaska, on Thursday, November 24, 2016. (Bob Hallinen / Alaska Dispatch News)