ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (March 16, 2025) – Mount St. Mary's men's basketball capped off its run at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championship on top, defeating the Iona Gaels 63-49 at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall. The Mountaineers head to the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time in program history and for the first time as representatives for the MAAC.
Dallas Hobbs led the way on offense with 18 points and seven assists.
Dola Adebayo was named Tournament MVP, completing his run in Atlantic City with a 15-point, three rebound effort.
Arlandus Keyes was superb off the bench again, supplying 14 points.
Jedy Cordilia grabbed 12 of the team's 37 rebounds.
The victory was the 22
nd of the season for the Mount, setting a record for their time as a Division I program. The last occurrence where the program hit 22 victories was in 1986-87, winning 26 games as a Division II team.
Mount overcame a challenging start in which they missed on their first nine shots. Iona was only able to tabulate a 6-0 run before Keyes scored the Mountaineers' first basket. The Gaels grabbed their largest lead at the 16-6 mark on a triple by DeJour Reaves with 9:47 left in the opening salvo, matching it with a déjà vu trey from Reaves with 2:24 on the clock. It was there where the Mount began to seize the momentum, going on a 9-0 run to close out the half. Adebayo and Keyes tallied three pointers during the sprint.
Cordilia handed Mount St. Mary's its first lead with 16:06 to go on a fast break layup. The bucket was part of another 9-0 run that forced an Iona timeout with the Mount up 37-32. The contest teetered in the single digit margins, getting as close as 43-41 on a Reaves three-pointer. Keyes responded with a three pointer to reestablish momentum to the Mountaineers.
With the game at 49-45 Mount under five minutes, more triples – this time from Adebayo and Hobbs – pushed the divide over double digits. At this point, Iona went ice cold from the field and any thoughts at a comeback were stopped in their tracks. Free throws and a highlight dunk from Cordilia sealed the game.
A watch party for the NCAA Selection Show is planned for Sunday, March 16 at Knott Auditorium. Fans who wish should show up around 5:30 for admittance. There will also be a parade on campus and in the town of Emmitsburg around two in the afternoon, welcoming the team's arrival back from Atlantic City.
