Iona 62, Manhattan 60

1/30/2008 10:34 PM

NEW YORK (AP) -Gary Springer had 18 points and 10 rebounds to lead Iona to a 62-60 victory over Manhattan on Wednesday night, snapping the Gaels' three-game losing streak.

Iona (8-15, 4-7 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) appeared to have the win locked up when a 10-0 run gave the Gaels their biggest lead of the game, 60-47 with 6:45 to play.

Manhattan (8-13, 2-9) then went on an 8-0 run to pull to 60-55 with 2:22 to go on a breakaway dunk by Chris Smith.

De'Shaune Griffin scored on a drive with 1:45 left to give the Gaels a 62-55 lead. Antoine Pearson hit his third 3-pointer of the game with a minute left to get the Jaspers within 62-58 and after Smith tied up Griffin for a jump ball with possession to Manhattan, Devon Austin dunked to make it 62-60 with 30 seconds left.

Kyle Camper missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 26 seconds left for Iona. Smith missed a baseline drive and Austin was wild with a 3-point attempt after he got the rebound and the Jaspers lost their sixth straight and ninth in the last 10 games.

Pearson had 15 points for the Jaspers while Austin had 14 and Rashad Green 13.

This was the 10th time these schools met at Madison Square Garden and Manhattan holds a 7-3 advantage in the series that dates back to 1952.