Iona Gaels Defeat Canisius 69-63 in MAAC Showdown

Iona overcomes five-game conference road losing streak with late surge to beat Canisius at home.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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The Iona University men's basketball team earned a 69-63 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference road victory over Canisius at the Koessler Center on Friday night. Iona overcame a five-game conference road losing streak by finishing the game on a decisive 10-4 run in the final 1:46, with junior Denver Anglin scoring all eight of his points during that stretch. Graduate Lamin Sabally led four Iona players in double figures, pacing the Gaels with 17 points and nine rebounds.

Why it matters

This win helps Iona maintain its position in the MAAC standings as the conference tournament approaches. Canisius has struggled this season, making this an important victory for Iona to build momentum heading into the final stretch of the regular season.

The details

Iona took control early, closing the first half on a 25-9 run to lead 34-24 at intermission. Canisius rallied in the second half and tied the game before Iona pulled away late. Kosy Akametu added 16 points for Iona, shooting 4-for-7 from the field and a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line. Luke Jungers had 12 points and also went 6-for-6 at the line, and CJ Anthony scored 10.

  • The game was played on Friday, February 13, 2026.
  • Iona and Canisius will face off again on Sunday, February 15, 2026 at 2 p.m.

The players

Lamin Sabally

A graduate player for Iona University, he led the team with 17 points and 9 rebounds.

Denver Anglin

A junior player for Iona University, he scored 8 points in the final 1:46 to help Iona pull away late.

Bryan Ndjonga

A player for Canisius, he led his team with 17 points.

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What they’re saying

“I thought our guys competed hard and made plays down the stretch. We stayed composed when the game tightened in the second half.”

— Lamin Sabally, Graduate player, Iona University (talkofthesound.com)

What’s next

Iona and Canisius will face off again on Sunday, February 15, 2026 at 2 p.m. in a rematch at Niagara, streaming on ESPN+.

The takeaway

This victory helps Iona maintain its position in the MAAC standings as the conference tournament approaches. The Gaels showed resilience in overcoming a late Canisius rally to pull away for the win, demonstrating the team's ability to make plays down the stretch.