College basketball: Iona scheduled to face Fordham for the first time since 2006

For the first time in almost two decades, the Iona University men’s basketball team will face Fordham University, the Gaels announced June 5 as their schedule for next season continues to take shape.

The two colleges, although separated only by half an hour along Bronx River Parkway, haven’t faced each other since the 2006-07 season. That changes this fall as the teams have agreed to meet in each of the next two seasons for a home-and-home series, beginning Nov. 14 in New Rochelle.

The non-conference opponents reconnecting is due in part to the relationship of their first-year head coaches. Iona’s Dan Geriot and Mike Magpayo (Fordham) worked together as assistant coaches at Campbell University in the 2014-15 season.

“The New York Metro area has a lot of great basketball teams and it’s great whenever they can get together and play against each other,” said Brian Beyrer, Iona’s sports information director. “It’s great for the fans, too, because they can get to see their team play not just at home but at a nearby venue on the road.”

What once was a neighborly rivalry dated back to 1942, with the teams squaring off 63 times. Fordham has a one-game edge in their head-to-head historically, including 70-54 win in the last matchup on Dec. 3, 2006. Iona eked out a 71-70 win when they met a year earlier.

The teams were scheduled to face each other in November 2020, but the game was nixed as the start of the season was delayed amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Rams have struggled since a breakthrough 25-8 campaign three years ago, compiling a .378 win percentage the last two seasons, including going 3-15 in their Atlantic 10 games last winter. The Gaels last season went 17-17 overall and lost in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference final.

Iona is also scheduled to play in the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands in November, opening against Akron. They also will face Hofstra on Nov. 7, and their early-season schedule includes Princeton and Bryant. In another marquee matchup, according to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports, the Gaels will face St. John’s at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 13. Iona didn’t confirm or deny the report.

Since Geriot was hired, as well as new Iona general manager Craig Moore, the Gaels have been busy reshaping their roster and staff.

Iona University men’s basketball and its busy offseason

• Added Patrick Buckley as director of operations and Parker Weiss as video coordinator
• Added assistant coach Ronald Ramon, a Bronx native and former Pittsburgh player who previously coached at Fordham University
• Added freshman Deondrea Lindey, a 6-foot-8 forward
• Added freshman Ore Odutayo, a 6-foot-8 forward from Albany
• Signed transfer Toby Harris, a 6-foot-9 forward who previously played at Brandeis University
• Signed Matt Reed, a 6-foot-10 junior who played the last two seasons at Tulsa
• Added assistant coach Kris Saulny, who previously coached at Penn, George Washington and Cal Lutheran
• Signed transfer Khalil Badru, a 6-foot-5 guard who played as a freshman at New Hampshire
• Signed transfer Chase Cormier, a 6-foot-2 junior who played previously at Northeastern and Wofford
• Signed transfer Keshawn Williams, a 6-foot-4 guard who who joins Iona as a graduate student after having played for Northern Illionois and Colorado State
• Signed transfer Kosy Akametu, a 6-foot-5 California native who joins Iona from Santa Clara University
• Signed transfer Lamin Sabaly, a 6-foot-8 senior from Germany who played previously for the University of Texas at San Antonio and Incarnate Word
• Signed transfer Denver Anglin, a 6-foot-1 senior from New Jersey who had previous stints at Georgetown and Rice
• Signed transfer CJ Anthony, a 6-foot guard who joins Iona as a graduate student after playing at Cincinnati
• Luke Jungers, a 6-foot-9 senior, is the only returning scholarship player from last season.

Stephen Haynes covers baseball for The Journal News/lohud.

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