St. Francis women fall to host Iona in Turkey Tipoff

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – The St. Francis women's basketball team dropped a 50-31 decision to host Iona in the opening game of the Turkey Tipoff Friday.

Aleah James and Zaiha Minnis each scored seven points for the 0-7 Red Flash. James added four rebounds, three steals and two assists.

Iona's Zoey Ward tallied 13 points and 13 rebounds on 6-of-13 shooting. Mya Zaccagnini totaled nine points, four steals and three assists. Isabellah Middleton dished out five assists for the 4-2 Gaels.

Iona used a pair of 10-0 runs in the first 30 minutes, one in the first quarter and one in the third, to take control of the game and never looked back to win its third contest against the Red Flash in New Rochelle. While the Gaels never lost the lead, St. Francis put up a fight with a big second quarter, but could not use that momentum in the second half as the Gaels pulled away.

St. Francis went on a 16-9 run over the end of the first quarter and most of the second. James sparked the spurt with five points, with seven different players scoring during the run. The surge helped the Red Flash go from a 15-2 deficit to trailing 26-18 going into the locker room.

The Red Flash started the fourth quarter scoring five of the first seven points, thanks to a basket each from Minnis and Gemma Walker, going 3 of 4 from the free-throw line.

It was the second time this season that James registered at least seven points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals in a game after turning the trick against Robert Morris Nov. 13. The seven points for Minnis were one off her season high.

Bati Assefa registered a season-high seven rebounds. The senior hauled in a career-best 10 boards against Westminster (Utah) Jan. 23, 2025. Sonia Sato matched her career high with two blocks after also having two rejections against La Salle Nov. 8. Sato also hauled in five rebounds.

Walker tied her career best with four points and grabbed five rebounds for the first time in her career.

St. Francis will play in the consolation game of the Turkey Tipoff at noon Saturday against Maine. The Black Bears lost 64-54 in the second game of the tournament to Illinois-Chicago Friday. It will be the second time St. Francis and Maine will play each other and the first since the Black Bears defeated the Red Flash 71-62 Nov. 26, 1999.