NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (Interstat) — A stark contrast in trajectories will be on display Friday when the surging Iona Gaels host the struggling Sacred Heart Pioneers in a nonconference women’s basketball game at the Hynes Center. The Gaels (7-2) have won seven of their last eight games and look to rebound from a rare stumble, a 65-57 home loss to Dartmouth on Dec. 13. Iona is led by guard Zoey Ward, who averages a team-high 15.6 points per game. Ward has been a consistent force, scoring 18 points in the loss to Dartmouth and pouring in 23 in a road win at Navy on Dec. 7. Mya Zaccagnini, who scored 20 against Dartmouth, provides a secondary scoring punch. Sacred Heart (2-7) seeks to halt a five-game losing streak, most recently a 63-46 defeat to Vermont on Sunday. The Pioneers have struggled offensively, failing to reach 60 points in six of their nine games. Guard Nalyce Dudley is the focal point, coming off a 13-point, 38-minute effort against Vermont and a 19-point performance in a narrow loss to Albany on Dec. 3. Support from Amelia Wood and Sophie Nascimento will be critical. The matchup, organized by the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, pits Iona’s balanced attack against a Sacred Heart team searching for consistency. The Gaels’ defense, which has held four opponents to 50 points or fewer, will challenge a Pioneer offense averaging just 53.2 points per game. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. Friday. Iona travels to Mount Saint Mary’s on Sunday, while Sacred Heart hosts Rider on Dec. 21.