Iona Gael’s coach Rick Pitino (left) and his team head to the NCAA tournament. (Photo: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports)
If you’ve watched Iona play, you might not know that the Gaels are from a one-bid league.
Iona is long and athletic. They play a pressured defense that can take over a game. The offensive finds high-percentage shots. It’s a good team.
And they have a Hall of Fame coach.
We can chat about Iona being a potentially great bet in the NCAA tournament next week after the Gaels won the MAAC championship and beat Marist 76-55 on Saturday night. You will receive the automatic bid from the MAAC. That means larger programs wanting to speak to coach Rick Pitino will have to wait at least another week.
Iona will be a double-digit seed, but a dangerous one.
Rick Pitino returns to the NCAA tournament
Last year Iona had a very good team and stumbled at the MAAC tournament. Mid-major chasers were disappointed they didn’t get a chance to bet on the Gaels as underdogs in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
This season, Iona got the job done. Marist made the championship game interesting in the second half, but Iona turned up the defense and pulled away for the blowout win. The Gaels overpowered Marist on the track and showed how good they can be.
Iona came into Saturday night’s game seeded as No. 13 in most Bill brackets. It’s hard to imagine the Gaels reaching the ever-dangerous No. 12 line, but that could just mean a wider spread for a first-round matchup.
Iona has good players, including Conference Player of the Year Walter Clayton Jr. and efficient guard Daniss Jenkins. But the headliner is Pitino. Pitino has two national titles (one if you follow the NCAA’s lead and sacking the vacated one in Louisville) and has won everywhere except with the Boston Celtics. Controversy follows Pitino and a scandal in Louisville is the reason he is in the MAAC.
But Pitino has been so good with Iona and enough time has passed that a bigger program might be ready to give him another chance. After Iona finishes in the NCAA tournament, of course.
The story goes on
Iona had another strong season
Iona goes into the tournament 27-7 and the Gaels went into the league 17-3. They have won 14 in a row. Their last loss was on January 27th. Iona has dominated its competition.
The problem with picking Iona in the first round of the NCAA tournament is that the Gaels didn’t test themselves against the top competition. They’ve played four teams that ranked in the KenPom top 100, none higher than 52nd, this season and won 1-3. Last season, when the Gaels were 25-8 but didn’t make the NCAA tournament, they beat Alabama and caused some trouble for Florida with a NIT loss.
Iona will need the right matchup, likely a team that doesn’t care about the ball. A senior major with strong guards and a low turnover percentage could probably handle Iona’s defenses, which will be guarding every 94 feet.
No matter who Iona draws, Pitino has the Gaels ready. You don’t allow yourself to be overwhelmed with sport. It could be a team worth looking for in the first round after an upset pick.