Overview:
Beware of teams that can consistently knock down
the long ball. With that being said, Iona is one of
the best teams in the country at doing just that.
The Gaels make 41.1% of their 3-poiners, which ranks
in the top five nationally. All those 3-pointers
help Iona to score at a better than 80 point per
game clip, which also ranks among the national
leaders. Seniors Steve Burtt and Ricky Soliver are
the highest scoring guard combo in the nation so far
this season, averaging 41.5 points a contest. The
Gaels' duo holds a 2.3 ppg advantage over
Villanova's Randy Foye and Allan Ray.
Potential Difference Maker: The NCAA
Tournament is the perfect time for a big scorer to
assert his will and get a team a win or two. That
means Burtt needs to keep filling it up for Iona to
have a shot. The Gaels have failed to reach 70
points just four times this season and are only 1-3
in those games. Keep shooting it, Steve.
On Offense: Iona will execute a lot of set
plays, which set multiple screens for their guards
Soliver and Burtt. Their guards are all good at
creating shots if their offense breaks down. Their
big man are athletic and good offensive rebounders,
so if you overextend on their guards, they will
attack the glass.
On Defense: They will play mostly man and
will pick –up 94 feet not to gamble for steals, but
to wear you down. They will play some matchup zone
if needed. Soliver was defensive player of the year
in the MAAC, but McCullough is a tough on-ball
defender at the point.
Strength: One MAAC coach believes “Soliver
and Burtt are as good as anyone in the country at
making contested shots.” They do a great job of
crashing the offensive glass.
Weakness: Not a great interior defensive team
and will rely heavily on the shooting of their two
guards.
Keys to Success: Soliver and Burtt have to
shoot well, as they will take tough shots. If they
defend inside and control the boards, they will be a
scary lower seed.
How to Beat Them: Contain their guards and
limit their offensive opportunities by controlling
the defensive boards.
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