No. 15 Seed Iona Set to Face No. 2 Seed Duke in First Round of NCAA Tournament on Thursday
No. 15 seed Iona College vs. No. 2 seed Duke University
2018 NCAA Tournament First Round
Thursday, March 15 | approx. 2:45 p.m. EST
Pittsburgh, PA | PPG Paints Center
Watch (CBS) | Listen (Westwood One) | Stats | Conference Notes | Iona Notes
Gaels are Dancing: Iona returns to the NCAA Tournament for the third year in a row, the fifth time in the last seven years, and 12
th time in program history. It is the first time since 2013 and second time in program history that Iona has drawn a No. 15 seed. In their last appearance in the NCAA Tournament, the Gaels fell to Oregon, 93-77, in the 2017 first round. Iona meets Duke for the first time in history. MAAC teams are 0-4 against ACC opponents this season.
Iona NCAA Tournament History: The Gaels are 0-10 in the NCAA Tournament as a member of the MAAC and 0-11 overall.
MAAC NCAA Tournament History: As a conference, the MAAC is 7-36 all-time in NCAA Tournament play. The last conference member to earn a win in the NCAA Tournament was Siena in 2009. The Saints were a No. 9 seed in the 2009 NCAA Tournament and defeated No. 8 seed Ohio State, 74-72, in double overtime. MAAC members have never earned a win over a No. 1, No. 2, or No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
No. 15 Seed: It is the fifth time in MAAC history that the conference representative in the NCAA Tournament has earned the No. 15 seed. The previous four teams to do so are: Iona (2013), former member Loyola (2012), Saint Peter's (1995), and Loyola (1994). MAAC representatives are 0-4 combined as the No. 15 seed.
Midwest Region: It is the 12th time in conference history that the MAAC representative in the NCAA Tournament has been placed in the Midwest Region. Iona will compete in the Midwest Region for the third year in a row and fourth in the last five. MAAC Representatives hold a combine 1-10 record in the Midwest Region dating to 1987 when Fairfield was the first team to compete in the region.
Coach Cluess by the Numbers: Iona's head coach Tim Cluess has compiled 112 wins in MAAC play over the course of his career at Iona, the third-most by a coach in conference history behind Niagara's Joe Mihalich (166), and Loyola/Siena's Jimmy Patsos (132). Cluess has collected a 19-4 record in the MAAC Championship and is 4-3 in the Championship final. Cluess' four MAAC Championship titles are tied with La Salle's Bill Morris for the most by a head coach in conference history.
20 is the Magic Number: Iona has won 20 or more games in a season, nine years in a row, which is a MAAC record.
MAAC Men’s Basketball Champions: No. 4 Iona defeated No. 6 Fairfield, 83-71, to claim its third consecutive MAAC Men’s Basketball Championship. The Gaels became the third team in MAAC history to win three-straight titles, they join Siena College (2008-10) and former member La Salle University (1988-90). Iona has won four of the last six MAAC Men’s Basketball Championships and a MAAC record 11 overall.
The win marked the third time in MAAC history that the No. 4 seed went on to win the Championship and it was the first time since Iona did so in 2013. The 12-point margin of victory was the largest since Siena defeated Rider by 21 points in 2008. With the win, Iona secured the leagues' automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 37
th year of competition during the 2017-18 academic year. Current Conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.