NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (Interstat) — Kosy Akametu scored 23 points and Iona used a decisive second-half run to pull away from Manhattan for a 66-57 victory in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Hynes Center.

The Gaels, who led 32-22 at halftime, saw their advantage cut to two points early in the second half before a 13-2 surge restored control. They never led by fewer than six points the rest of the way, holding off several Manhattan charges to improve to 14-8 overall. The Jaspers fell to 8-14.

The most critical sequence of the game occurred shortly after Manhattan had clawed back to within 35-33 with 17:52 remaining. Following a media timeout, Iona’s defense ignited its offense. The Gaels forced two quick Manhattan turnovers, converting them into a layup by Akametu and a 3-pointer from Denver Anglin. That spurt, part of a larger 13-2 run over four minutes, pushed the lead back to 48-35 and effectively insulated Iona from Manhattan’s subsequent rallies.

Akametu, a 6-foot-5 junior from Carson, California, was efficient in his 33 minutes, shooting 8 of 16 from the floor and adding a block. His scoring provided the consistent offensive punch Iona needed on a night where overall shooting percentages were low. He was supported by backcourt mates CJ Anthony and Denver Anglin, who each added 12 points. Anthony, from Columbus, Ohio, also contributed six assists and a block.

Manhattan was led by Devin Dinkins with 13 points and Terrance Jones with 12 points and four assists. Jaden Winston also scored 12 for the Jaspers. The visitors struggled mightily from the perimeter, making just 5 of 26 attempts from 3-point range, a 19.2% clip that undermined their comeback efforts.

The game was a defensive struggle from the outset. Iona shot 41.1% from the field while Manhattan managed just 33.3%. Both teams committed 10 turnovers, but Iona’s five blocks and slightly better efficiency on offense proved decisive. The Gaels scored 100.6 points per 100 possessions compared to Manhattan’s 84.9.

Iona built its halftime lead by closing the first period on a strong note. After Manhattan’s Fraser Roxburgh made two free throws to bring the Jaspers within 28-25 with 1:47 left, the Gaels scored the final four points of the half. Lamin Sabally converted a layup off an assist from Anthony, sending Iona into the break with a 10-point cushion.

The Jaspers opened the second half with urgency. A driving layup by Jones and a 3-pointer from Dinkins capped an 11-3 run that made it 35-33, setting the stage for Iona’s game-defining response. Manhattan would get within six points on multiple occasions down the stretch, the last at 55-49 with 3:40 to play, but could not string together enough stops and scores to threaten seriously.

Sabally, a 6-foot-8 forward from Berlin, Germany, finished with eight points, three assists and was a disruptive force defensively. Iona’s interior defense, led by Sabally and reserve Luke Jungers, who had two blocks, limited Manhattan to 26 points in the paint and altered numerous shots at the rim.

The victory was Iona’s second in a row, following a narrow home win over Merrimack on Thursday, and moved the Gaels to 14-8. Manhattan has now lost three consecutive games and six of its last seven. A crowd of 2,103 attended the conference matchup.

Iona next hosts Fairfield on Friday. Manhattan returns home to face Rider next Friday.