Duke Basketball: What should you know about the Iona Gaels?

In the first round of March Madness, the Duke Blue Devils will face off against Iona. Here are few things that everyone should know about the Gaels.

1. The Gaels may lack rhythm at the big dance: Sure, Iona has 13 games in the NCAA Tournament. However, they have only won one game in the NCAA Tournament. Since beating Holy Cross in the first round in 1980, the Gaels have lost 10 straight tournament games by an average of 16 points. More recently, the Gaels have lost their last three appearances in the past five years by an average of 18 points.

2. The MAAC doesn’t dance well with the ACC: Teams out of the MAAC have met up with current members of the ACC nine times in the tournament’s history. In those nine matchups, Iona has come the closest to beating an ACC foe when they lost a nail-biter to Virginia 57-58 in 1984. Since that matchup against the Cavaliers, MAAC representatives have lost eight straight contests against ACC opponents by an average of seven points. In the most recent matchup between the two conferences, then-Big East member, Louisville, topped 2009 MAAC Champion, Siena, 79-72.

3. Duke has had issues keeping pace with No. 15 seeds before: In the nearly 80-year history of the NCAA Tournament, No. 15 seeds have beat No. 2 seeds eight times. Unfortunately, Duke is part of that 6% of two seeds that have fallen victim to that unlikely scenario. In 2015, the Austin Rivers-led Blue Devils fell by five points to Lehigh. With that being said, the Lehigh Mountain Hawks were led by a future NBA All-Star named C.J. McCollum.

4. The Gaels will let the three ball fly early and often: It is common knowledge across college basketball circles that while Coach K and company are extremely talented, they like to shoot the three a bit too much at times. Looking across the dance floor, the Blue Devils may find they have something in common with the Gaels, who shoot the three-ball better than anyone in the ACC, except for Virginia. As a matter of fact, the Gaels ranked in the top-30 in college basketball in three-point shots made and three-point shooting percentage.

5. The Gaels hold a free throw advantage: The Iona Gaels may not have many advantages when playing against Duke this weekend, but one glaring advantage they have is their ability to capitalize at the charity strike. During this season, the Gaels shot 74% from the foul line as a team. However, their opponents have shot 66% from the line against them.

Next: Ranking the NCAA Tournament 1-68

Fast Facts

Founded: 1940

Tuition: $37,682

Location: Rochelle, NY

Notable Alumni: Jeff Ruland and Tim McCarthy