The Iona Gaels faced the Niagara Purple Eagles at Gallagher Center in Lewiston, New York, on Sunday, February 15, 2026, in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference matchup. Iona entered the game with a 15-11 overall record and a 7-8 mark in conference play, whereas Niagara was 6-19 overall and 3-12 in the MAAC.
As of 8:47 PM EST, Iona led Niagara 49-45, with approximately 8 minutes and 47 seconds remaining in the second half. Iona’s win probability stood at 83.6% according to ESPN Analytics. The Gaels were 17-of-39 from the field (44%), 6-of-23 from three-point range (26%), and 9-of-11 from the free-throw line (82%). Niagara shot 17-of-37 from the field (46%), 7-of-14 from beyond the arc (50%), and 4-of-5 from the free-throw line (80%).
According to betting lines, Iona was favored by 3.5 points, with a moneyline of -230. Niagara was a +5.5 underdog with a moneyline of +190. The over/under was set at 127.5 points.
Recent team statistics show Iona coming off a 69-63 win against Canisius, an 83-76 victory over Mount St. Mary’s, a 72-79 loss to Siena, and a 71-70 win over Manhattan. Niagara had previously lost to Manhattan 76-69, Quinnipiac 56-55, Canisius 56-46, and Siena 82-79.
Key players for Iona included T. Harris with 16 points, while V. Zanki led Niagara with 9 points. Lamin Sabally of Iona and Justin Hawkins of Niagara were highlighted as key players entering the contest.
The game featured several substitutions at the 9:03 mark of the second half, with Josiah Sabino, Vice Zanki, and Landon Williams entering for Niagara, and Luke Jungers making a free throw to extend Iona’s lead to 49-45. A foul was called on Niagara’s Will Shortt at the same time.
In the MAAC standings, Merrimack led with a 13-2 conference record, followed by Saint Peter’s at 11-4, Quinnipiac at 11-5, and Siena at 10-5. Iona’s conference record was 7-8, while Niagara was 3-12.
