NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (Interstat) — In a defensive struggle where offensive rhythm was often elusive, the Dartmouth women’s basketball team leaned on a stifling defensive effort and clutch late free throws to secure a 65-57 road victory over Iona on Saturday at Hynes Center. The game, a matchup of teams that entered with identical 6-2 records, defied pregame projections as the Big Green (7-2) consistently answered every Gael (6-3) rally. Dartmouth never trailed, building an early double-digit lead and maintaining control despite Iona’s persistent attempts to close the gap in the second half. The most critical phase of the contest came in the game’s frantic final minute. Holding a tenuous 57-55 lead with just 33 seconds remaining, Dartmouth’s composure at the foul line sealed the outcome. Alexandra Eldredge, a junior guard from McLean, Virginia, calmly sank two free throws to extend the lead to four. After an Iona turnover, Cate MacDonald, Dartmouth’s 6-foot-1 forward from Lynnfield, Massachusetts, was fouled and converted both ends of a one-and-one opportunity with 12 seconds left, pushing the advantage to 61-55 and effectively extinguishing Iona’s hopes. The Gaels, who were given a 74.9 percent probability to win by National Statistical’s ELO system, were forced into 20 turnovers by an active Dartmouth defense. The Big Green capitalized with 13 steals, led by Eldredge’s three. Dartmouth’s interior defense was anchored by MacDonald, who swatted four shots and grabbed nine rebounds. Iona’s offense was carried by the duo of Zoey Ward and Mya Zaccagnini. Ward, a 6-foot guard from Gastonia, North Carolina, played all but five minutes and finished with a game-high 18 points, adding three blocks. Zaccagnini, a dynamic 5-foot-5 guard from Waterbury, Connecticut, poured in 20 points, including four three-pointers, to keep the Gaels within striking distance throughout. Dartmouth established its authority from the opening tip. Clare Meyer, a 6-foot-3 freshman from Philadelphia, scored the game’s first four points on free throws and a layup. A three-pointer from guard Zeynep Ozel of Istanbul, Turkey, and a late first-quarter triple from Eldredge helped the Big Green close the period on a 7-0 run, taking a 20-11 lead. The Big Green lead ballooned to 14 points in the second quarter after an Ozel jumper made it 27-13. Iona responded with a 10-2 spurt, fueled by five points from Ward and a three-pointer from Zaccagnini, to trim the deficit to 29-23. Dartmouth took a 33-23 lead into halftime after Meyer scored inside in the final minute. The third quarter saw Iona mount its most serious challenge. Trailing 38-28, the Gaels unleashed a 13-4 run, capped by a three-pointer from Ella Fajardo of Bergenfield, New Jersey, to cut Dartmouth’s lead to 42-41 with under a minute left in the period. The Big Green answered immediately, as Sierra Carson hit a pull-up jumper to close the quarter, sending Dartmouth into the final frame with a 44-41 edge. Iona drew within a single possession on multiple occasions in the fourth quarter, but could never draw even. A Zaccagnini three-pointer made it 51-48 with 3:50 to play, and a Ward layup brought Iona to 55-53 with 2:11 remaining. Each time, Dartmouth found a response, first with an Olivia Austin layup and then with the decisive parade to the free-throw line. Ozel led a balanced Dartmouth scoring attack with 14 points and four assists. Eldredge contributed 11 points, while Austin, a 6-foot-1 forward from Western Springs, Illinois, also scored 11. Meyer provided a crucial spark off the bench with 10 points in just 16 minutes. Fajardo directed the Iona offense with seven assists. The game was played before an intimate crowd of 637. Both teams now look ahead to busy stretches before conference play begins in earnest. Dartmouth will host a doubleheader against Stonehill and Franklin Pierce on Tuesday. Iona’s next contest is at home against Sacred Heart on Friday.

Preview: Dartmouth Big Green at Iona Gaels, Women’s Basketball NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (Interstat) — Two of the region’s hottest teams will meet Saturday when the Dartmouth Big Green visit the Iona Gaels in a nonconference women’s basketball matchup at the Hynes Center. Dartmouth (6-2) enters on a three-game winning streak, most recently edging NJIT 61-60 on Thursday. Iona (7-1) carries a six-game winning streak, last playing on Dec. 7 in a 67-61 victory at Navy. The game features a compelling clash in the frontcourt. Dartmouth’s success is fueled by forward Cate MacDonald, who is averaging 13.8 points over her last five games. She scored 16 points in the narrow win at NJIT. Iona counters with forward Zoey Ward, a dominant force who has recorded four double-doubles this season. Ward is coming off a 23-point performance against Navy and averages a double-double (14.4 points, 10.1 rebounds) during the Gaels’ current streak. Both teams have built their records on stifling defense. Dartmouth has held opponents to 60 points or fewer in five of its six wins, including a 53-45 victory over Bucknell on Dec. 7. Iona’s defense has been equally formidable during its streak, allowing an average of just 52.8 points per game. For Dartmouth, guard Zeynep Ozel, who dished out seven assists against NJIT, will be key in managing the offense against Iona’s pressure. The Gaels will look for backcourt production from Mya Zaccagnini and Ella Fajardo, who combined for 21 points in the Navy win. This contest serves as a final tune-up before both teams break for the holidays. Dartmouth will host Stonehill on Dec. 16, while Iona welcomes Sacred Heart on Dec. 19. Tip-off is scheduled for Saturday afternoon. The series history between the two programs is limited, adding an element of unpredictability to a matchup of surging squads.