The Iona Gaels were upset in the semifinal round of the 2012 MAAC men's basketball tournament, 85-75, by the Fairfield Stags on Sunday at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass.
Neither team could pull away in the first half which ended with the Gaels ahead, 42-40. Iona held a two-possession lead for most of the first ten minutes of the second half. Fairfield used a 16-1 run over the next five minutes to take a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
Fairfield was led by a game-high 26 points and 12 rebounds from Rakim Sanders. Scott Machado scored 24 points for Iona. Both teams shot above 50% from the field as well as right at 50% from behind the arc for the game. The difference over the course of the second half looked to be the Stags' domination on the glass.
Fairfield moves on to the finals of the MAAC Tournament for the second time in three seasons. The Stags will play the winner of Siena vs. Loyola (Md.). The loss almost certainly knocked Iona out of the NCAA tournament. The Gaels were the regular season MAAC champs, but will now likely be NIT bound.
- See MAACSports.com for more information about the tournament. See SB Nation's College Basketball Hub Page for full NCAA hoops coverage.