ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (Mar. 10, 2023) – The final is set for the 2023 Hercules Tires Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Women’s Basketball Championship at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall following Friday afternoon’s semifinals. No. 1 Iona University erased a 16-point second half deficit to lift the Gaels over No. 4 Siena College and No. 6 Manhattan College defeated No. 2 Niagara University to clinch a spot back in the championship final for the second straight season.
 
No. 1 Iona – 67 | No. 4 Siena – 66
Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall | ATLANTIC CITY, NJ
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Top-seeded Iona earned a comeback win against No. 4 Siena, winning 67-66, in the semifinal round game on Friday afternoon. The Saints held the advantage for 35:28 in the game and led by as many as 16 points late in the third quarter, taking a 56-40 lead with 3:25 to play in the quarter. Over the game’s next 10 minutes, Iona completely flipped the script, holding Siena to just three points, while scoring 21 of its own, going ahead 61-59 with 3:34 left. The go-ahead basket, a three-point field goal from the right wing by Natalia Otkhmezuri, would end up being the final lead change of the day, as the Regular Season Champions would hit their final three field goal attempts and 5-for-7 in total to close out the game. The Gaels dominated the final 13 plus minutes, outscoring the Saints, 27-10, which included a 20-9 fourth quarter advantage. Otkhmezuri led the Gaels with 20 points, hitting 5-of-10 threes, while Ketsia Athias added 14 points and Juana Camilion finished with 11 points. For Siena, Anajah Brown matched Otkhmezuri with a game-high 20 points and Ahniysha Jackson scored 18 points. Iona is back in the title game for the fifth overall time and first time in seven years, last making the championship final in 2016, which was also the only time the Gaels have won it all.
 
No. 6 Manhattan – 81 | No. 4 Siena – 68
Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall | ATLANTIC CITY, NJ
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Sixth-seeded Manhattan made key shots and free throws down the stretch to defeat fourth-seeded Siena, 81-68, in Friday’s semifinal game. The Jaspers held a 17-13 lead after one quarter. In the second, Manhattan’s Brazil Harvey-Carr hit her fifth triple of the afternoon, extending the Jaspers lead to 29-16 midway through the quarter. Harvey-Carr started the game a perfect 5-for-5 from beyond the arc. Despite falling behind by double digits, Niagara closed the quarter by outscoring Manhattan 23-8, taking a 39-37 lead into the half. The sides continued to exchange blows, with both teams holding an advantage no larger than three points until the halfway point of the quarter. Tied at 45-45, The Jasper used a12-4 rally to end the quarter ahead 57-49. In the final minutes, Manhattan’s lead sat at three with one minute remaining but a second chance layup by Petra Juric with 50 seconds on the clock would give the Jaspers a comfortable cushion. Manhattan closed out the day with 10 made free throws to seal the win. Harvey-Carr led the Jaspers to the win, scoring 27 points. Juric added 18 points and eight rebounds, while Dee Dee Davis finished with 10 points. Aaliyah Parker and Angel Parker led Niagara with 23 and 18 points, respectively.Manhattan returns to the final for the second straight year and makes its seventh appearance in program history. The Jaspers have won four titles with its last championship coming in 2003.
 
The New York City rivals will clash tomorrow at 3:30pm on ESPNU for the chance to be named 2023 MAAC Women’s Basketball Champions and earn the league’s automatic qualifier bid into the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
 
For all information regarding the 2023 Hercules Tires MAAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships, please visit MAACSports.com/basketball and by following @MAACHoops and #MAACHoops on Twitter.
 
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 42nd year of competition during the 2022-23 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan College, Marist College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.
 
Stay up to date with the MAAC on social media by following @MAACSports on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or visit MAACSports.com for all the latest MAAC news.