ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Navy women's basketball team will look to continue the strong start to its 2024-25 season with a road matchup on Tuesday morning versus Iona. Taking on its second MAAC opponent in eight days to begin the campaign, the Mids (2-0) and Gaels (0-1) will go head-to-head as part of a special kids' day game at the Hynes Athletic Center. Navy's 2-0 start is its best since 2019-20 and a potential third straight victory would give the program its best start since 2017-18 when the Mids opened 9-0.  

The Navy-Iona game will have live stats provided online, as well as be broadcast on the ESPN+ platform. ESPN+ is a subscription-based streaming service that requires patrons to sign-up for monthly or yearly plans prior to tuning into the contest.

Navy vs. Iona/MAAC
The Mids and Gaels have met five times in women's basketball action in a series that begin on Nov. 19, 1997 as part of a home-and-home series the saw games separated by 18 days ... That matchup at Alumni Hall in Annapolis ended with a 15-point victory for Navy, 65-50 ... All-time, Navy is 3-2 versus Iona with three of the games being decided by 10 points or less with a three-point decision for the Gaels in 2013 being the closest ... Over two Navy-Iona matchups on the Gaels' home court, the series is knotted at 1-1 as Navy won in Dec. of 1997 by 12 points before Iona held the home court advantage in Nov. of 2012 by 10 points ... The most recent iteration of the series came on Nov. 21, 2016 in Annapolis; Navy won that matchup, 73-68 ... All-time versus Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) opponents, Navy is 30-34 in 64 previous meetings. Mount St. Mary's (9-20) is Navy's most common foe playing 29 times including last Nov. 15 (L, 67-59 in OT); Navy defeated Rider, 74-52 on Monday, Nov. 4.
    Last Five Matchups:
    Nov. 21, 2016 (H): Navy 73 - Iona 68
    Nov. 17, 2013 (H): Iona 64 - Navy 61
    Nov. 9, 2012 (A): Iona 74 - Navy 64
    Dec. 7, 1997 (A): Navy 61 - Iona 49    
    Nov. 19, 1997 (H): Navy 65 - Iona 50

Comparing the Teams

(2023-24 Stats)	Navy	Iona
Record / League-Only	14-17, 9-9 PL	11-19 / 6-14 MAAC
Home / Away / Neut. Record	11-6 / 3-11	5-8 / 6-10 / 0-1
Points Per Game	61.8 PPG	57.6 PPG
Points Allowed Per Game	63.7 PPG	63.2 PPG
Field Goal Percentage	38.1 %	39.3 %
3-Point Percentage	28.2 %	33.5 %
Free Throw Percentage	67.6 %	72.8 %
Rebounds Per Game	36.6 RPG	32.8 RPG
Assists/Turnovers Per Game	12.3 / 14.5	12.9 / 16.5

Returning Leaders

(2023-24 Stats)	Navy	Iona
Points Per Game	Zanai Barnett-Gay, 18.2 ppg	Ella Fajardo, 7.1 ppg
Rebounds Per Game	Z. Barnett-Gay, 6.2 rpg	Judith Gomez, 5.0 rpg
Assists Per Game	Kyah Smith, 3.5 apg	E. Fajardo, 3.4 apg
Field Goal Percentage	Kate Samson, 47.0 %	Zoey Ward, 43.6 %
3-Point Percentage	K. Smith, 31.8 %	Z. Ward, 27.8 %
Free Throw Percentage	Z. Barnett-Gay, 75.9 %	E. Fajardo, 82.5 %

Last Time Out -- Wednesday, Nov. 8 vs. Bryn Athyn
Navy scored early and often on Wednesday night in the 2024-25 home opener for the squad. Playing in the first of 16 games this season at Alumni Hall, the Mids (2-0) used suffocating defense and hot shooting to run out to a 29-7 lead over the Lions in the first quarter on their way to a 103-45 victory. The win was the second-largest in program history, while the team's point total was the third highest ever in 48 seasons of varsity Navy Women's Basketball.

Sophomore Saran Moschella had the best performance of her young career as she dominated in all facets of the game to the tune of 25 points, seven rebounds, five three-pointers, two blocks and a steal over 22 minutes of action off the bench. Her point, rebound, three-point and block totals are all single-game career-highs. She was joined in double figures by Zanai Barnett-Gay and Kate Samson, who were efficient in their limited time on Wednesday night as Barnett-Gay scored 13 on 4-5 shooting in 15 minutes, while Samson shot 5-7 for 10 points in 10 minutes. As a team, all 13 players that were active for the game scored at least two points and added either multiple rebounds and/or assists.

Bryn Athyn, a school north of Philadelphia, was playing Wednesday as an exhibition as the NCAA Division III calendar doesn't officially allow countable games until Friday, Nov. 8.

The Mids came out of the game hot and never cooled off on Wednesday as Samson won the opening tip and just three seconds later Kyah Smith was streaking down the court for an uncontested layup. After some back-and-forth play over the initial two minutes of the game, Navy blew open a then 6-5 game at 8:22 with a 25-2 run that spanned into the second quarter. During the first quarter portion of that run, Samson had a hand in each of basket as she personally reached the 10-point mark by the 7:01 mark when it was 12-5. Mary Gibbons and Barnett-Gay took the scoring baton from Samson with five points a piece over the next two minutes. With the score 22-7, a trio of Mids combined for the final seven points to close out an extremely efficient period of play. As a team, Navy shot 57.1 percent (12-21) from the field and converted 11 turnovers into 15 points, including 18 in the paint.

Another first possession basket by Smith put the exclamation point on the multi-period run to make it 31-7 at 9:31 of the second. The teams traded makes over the next 90 seconds to advance the score to 35-11 by the 8:07 mark. Kicked off by a Maren Louridas three-pointer from the wing, the Mids rattled off 10 unanswered points over the next two-plus minutes. Moschella ignited her career day during this span with her first of five three-pointers with a wide-open triple at 5:31. The second half of the period played out fairly even as Navy edged Bryn Athyn in scoring, 11-9 to make it 56-20 going into the intermission. That 56-point output is the highest in program history; surpassing the previous mark of 53 set on January 31, 1990 versus Marymount University.

Less than four minutes into the second half, the Mids were able to increase their lead into the 40-point range as Louridas grabbed a defensive rebound and quickly found Julianna Almeida breaking out in transition for a fast break layup. Ahead 66-26 at 6:42, Navy never allowed Bryn Athyn to get any closer as its advantage bubbled out to as much as 50 before settling at 46, 80-34 at the end of the quarter. Navy's 24-point quarter was bolstered by 58.8 percent (10-17) shooting from the floor and seven more forced turnovers.

The final period of play saw the Mids post their fourth straight 20-plus point quarter as they outscored the Lions, 23-11 on their way to a final of 103-45. Moschella was the star of the fourth with 12 points on 4-6 shooting, including her fourth and fifth three-pointers of the game. Moschella's previous single-game career-best for points was seven coming into Wednesday.