1997–98 Iona Gaels men's basketball team

The 1997–98 Iona Gaels men's basketball team represented Iona College during the 1997–98 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Gaels, led second-year by head coach Tim Welsh, played their home games at the John A. Mulcahy Campus Events Center and were members of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The Gaels finished second in the MAAC regular season standings, and would go on to win the MAAC Basketball tournament to receive an automatic bid to the 1998 NCAA tournament the program's first appearance in the "Big Dance" since 1985. As the No. 12 seed in the Southeast region, the Gaels lost to No. 5 seed Syracuse in the opening round.[2]

1997–98 Iona Gaels men's basketball
MAAC regular season champions
MAAC tournament champions
NCAA tournament, First Round
ConferenceMetro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Record27–6 (15–3 MAAC)
Head coach
Assistant coachJeff Ruland
Home arenaJohn A. Mulcahy Campus Events Center
1997–98 MAAC men's basketball standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L PCTW L PCT
Iona153 .833276  .818
Rider126 .6671810  .643
Siena108 .5561712  .586
Niagara108 .5561413  .519
Loyola (MD)99 .5001216  .429
Canisius99 .5001314  .481
Manhattan711 .3891217  .414
Marist711 .3891117  .393
Fairfield711 .3891215  .444
Saint Peter's414 .222819  .296
1998 MAAC tournament winner
Rankings from AP Poll[1]

Roster

1997–98 Iona Gaels men's basketball team
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#NameHeightWeightYearHometown
G 00 John McDonald 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)185 lb (84 kg) Sr Mount Vernon, New York
C 20 Kashif Hameed 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)220 lb (100 kg) Jr New York City, New York
G/F 21 Tariq Kirksay 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)205 lb (93 kg) So Bronx, New York
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

    Legend
    • (C) Team captain
    • (S) Suspended
    • (I) Ineligible
    • (W) Walk-on

    Roster

    [3]

    Schedule and results

    Date
    time, TV
    Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (attendance)
    city, state
    Regular season
    Nov 15, 1997*
    at Morgan State W 95–92 OT 1–0
    Talmadge L. Hill Field House 
    Baltimore, Maryland
    Nov 21, 1997*
    vs. No. 5 Clemson
    Top of the World Classic
    L 49–79  1–1
    Carlson Center 
    Fairbanks, Alaska
    Nov 22, 1997*
    vs. Duquesne
    Top of the World Classic
    L 62–64  1–2
    Carlson Center 
    Fairbanks, Alaska
    Nov 23, 1997*
    at Alaska-Fairbanks
    Top of the World Classic
    W 85–68  2–2
    Carlson Center 
    Fairbanks, Alaska
    Nov 29, 1997*
    at Rutgers W 70–62  3–2
    Louis Brown Athletic Center 
    Piscataway, New Jersey
    Dec 3, 1997
    Saint Peter's W 90–72  4–2
    (1–0)
    John A. Mulcahy Campus Events Center 
    New Rochelle, New York
    Dec 5, 1997
    at Manhattan L 62–64 OT 4–3
    (1–1)
    Draddy Gymnasium 
    New York, New York
    Dec 10, 1997*
    at Hofstra W 78–63  5–3
    Physical Fitness Center 
    Hempstead, New York
    Dec 14, 1997*
    Fordham W 80–65  6–3
    John A. Mulcahy Campus Events Center 
    New Rochelle, New York
    Dec 20, 1997*
    Liberty W 84–68  7–3
    John A. Mulcahy Campus Events Center 
    New Rochelle, New York
    Dec 28, 1997*
    Wagner W 92–52  8–3
    John A. Mulcahy Campus Events Center 
    New Rochelle, New York
    Jan 3, 1998
    Fairfield W 90–68  9–3
    (2–1)
    John A. Mulcahy Campus Events Center 
    New Rochelle, New York
    Jan 5, 1998*
    at Providence W 68–62  10–3
    Providence Civic Center 
    Providence, Rhode Island
    Jan 8, 1998
    at Rider W 90–65  11–3
    (3–1)
    Alumni Gymnasium 
    Lawrenceville, New Jersey
    Jan 10, 1998
    at Saint Peter's W 80–60  12–3
    (4–1)
    Yanitelli Center 
    Jersey City, New Jersey
    Jan 13, 1998
    Manhattan W 75–72  13–3
    (5–1)
    John A. Mulcahy Campus Events Center 
    New Rochelle, New York
    Jan 17, 1998
    vs. Niagara W 81–67  14–3
    (6–1)
    Marine Midland Arena 
    Buffalo, New York
    Jan 19, 1998
    at Canisius W 74–65  15–3
    (7–1)
    Marine Midland Arena 
    Buffalo, New York
    Jan 24, 1998
    at Marist W 87–72  16–3
    (8–1)
    McCann Arena 
    Poughkeepsie, New York
    Jan 27, 1998*
    at St. Francis (NY) W 100–69  17–3
    Generoso Pope Athletic Complex (436)
    Brooklyn, New York
    Jan 29, 1998
    Rider W 69–63  18–3
    (9–1)
    John A. Mulcahy Campus Events Center 
    New Rochelle, New York
    Feb 1, 1998
    Siena W 83–82  19–3
    (10–1)
    John A. Mulcahy Campus Events Center 
    New Rochelle, New York
    Feb 4, 1998
    at Loyola (MD) L 82–91  19–4
    (10–2)
    Reitz Arena 
    Baltimore, Maryland
    Feb 6, 1998
    Niagara W 86–74  20–4
    (11–2)
    John A. Mulcahy Campus Events Center 
    New Rochelle, New York
    Feb 9, 1998
    Canisius W 102–66  21–4
    (12–2)
    John A. Mulcahy Campus Events Center 
    New Rochelle, New York
    Feb 11, 1998
    at Siena L 92–104  21–5
    (12–3)
    Pepsi Arena 
    Loudonville, New York
    Feb 14, 1998
    at Fairfield W 78–68  22–5
    (13–3)
    Alumni Hall 
    Fairfield, Connecticut
    Feb 19, 1998
    Marist W 80–65  23–5
    (14–3)
    John A. Mulcahy Campus Events Center 
    New Rochelle, New York
    Feb 22, 1998
    Loyola (MD) W 92–82  24–5
    (15–3)
    John A. Mulcahy Campus Events Center 
    New Rochelle, New York
    MAAC tournament
    Feb 28, 1998*
    (1) vs. (8) Marist
    Quarterfinals
    W 76–55  25–5
    Pepsi Arena 
    Loudonville, New York
    Mar 1, 1998*
    (1) vs. (5) Loyola (MD)
    Semifinals
    W 69–58  26–5
    Pepsi Arena 
    Loudonville, New York
    Mar 2, 1998*
    (1) at (3) Siena
    Championship game
    W 90–75  27–5
    Pepsi Arena 
    Loudonville, New York
    NCAA tournament
    Mar 13, 1998*
    (12 S) vs. (5 S) No. 21 Syracuse
    First round
    L 61–63[2]  27–6
    Rupp Arena 
    Lexington, Kentucky
    *Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
    SE=Southeast.
    All times are in Eastern Time.

    [4]

    Awards and honors

    References

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