Preview: Canisius Seeks Upset at Iona in MAAC Women’s Basketball NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (Interstat) — The Iona Gaels look to solidify their position in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference standings when they host the struggling Canisius Golden Griffins in women’s basketball on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. The matchup at Hynes Athletic Center pits teams at opposite ends of the conference trajectory. Iona (14-10 overall) enters seeking to rebound from a lopsided 82-46 road loss at Fairfield last Saturday. The Gaels had won three of their previous four before the defeat. Canisius (4-19) aims to halt a two-game skid, most recently a 73-55 home loss to Quinnipiac on Feb. 5. The Golden Griffins’ only win in their last eight contests was a 74-58 victory over Niagara on Feb. 3. Iona won the season’s first meeting, 60-51, at Canisius on Jan. 10. A key matchup will feature each team’s top scorer. Iona is led by Zoey Ward, who has been a consistent force. She is coming off a 19-point, 8-rebound performance against Fairfield and scored 27 points in a narrow loss to Mount Saint Mary’s on Feb. 5. Ward averages a double-double in her last five games. Canisius will rely on guard Yasmine Djibril, who is capable of explosive outings. She scored 20 points in the loss to Quinnipiac and had a 16-point, 6-rebound game at Marist on Jan. 29. Her production will be critical for an offense averaging just 57.2 points per game. Iona’s defense, which allows an average of 62.5 points, will look to contain Djibril and force turnovers against a Canisius team that has struggled to score consistently. The Gaels have shown resilience at home, including a 65-64 win over Marist on Jan. 24. For Canisius, finding secondary scoring behind Djibril is imperative. Shariah Gailes added 13 points in the last outing, but the Golden Griffins have been held under 60 points in 12 of their 19 losses. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. EST. Iona visits Siena next on Feb. 19, while Canisius travels to Manhattan on Feb. 14.