No. 6 MOUNT ST. MARY'S (21-12) vs. No. 4 IONA (17-16)
Saturday, March 15, 2025, 7:30 p.m.
Atlantic City, N.J. | Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall
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MOUNT STORY LINES
- Mount St. Mary's edged No. 2 seed Merrimack, 57-55, on Friday night to advance to the MAAC Championship game for the first time. Arlandus Keyes put the Mount ahead, 56-55, with a pair of free throws with 34.8 seconds remaining. The Mount defense stood tall from there in earning the two-point victory. Keyes led the Mount with 13 points.
- Mount St. Mary's is 21-12 on the season, matching the school's most wins since moving to NCAA Division I in 1988-89. The 21 victories are the most since the 1995-96 team finished with a 21-8 record.
- Iona edged the Mount in overtime, 70-67, on a Dejour Reaves three-pointer at the buzzer on February 6 at Knott Arena. The Gaels are 7-2 all-time against the Mount, including a 74-54 victory in the 2023 MAAC Quarterfinals. Since joining the MAAC, the Mount is 1-5 against the Gaels.
- Despite their seeds, it should not be too surprising the Mount and Iona are meeting in the title game as they are the two hottest teams in the league. The Mount is 10-3 since January 31, the best mark in the MAAC over that time. Going back a little further, Iona is 12-4 since January 16, also the best mark in the league over that span.
- The Mount is appearing in its first MAAC championship game in just its third season in the league. However, the Mount is no stranger to conference championship games. As members of the Northeast Conference from 1989-2022, the Mount went 6-1 in the championship game, winning titles in 1995, 1999, 2008, 2014, 2017 and 2021. The Mount went 4-1 on the road in those games, 1-0 at home, and 1-0 at a neutral site.
- Defense has keyed the Mount's late season surge, holding the opposition to 38.0 percent shooting overall, 31.1 percent from three-point range, and 66.8 points over the past 13 games. It has been even better in the Mount's two MAAC Tournament games, holding the opposition to 56.5 points, 33.3 percent shooting from the field, and 19.2 percent from three-point range. The Mount has held its opponent to under 60 points in each of the past three games.
