ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) Asante Gist scored 19 points with five assists and Iona defeated Niagara 70-64 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals on Friday.

Dylan van Eyck added 14 points for Iona (11-5), which has won five in a row, including three in the post season. Nelly Junior Joseph added 13 points and nine rebounds. Isaiah Ross, the MAAC's leading scorer, was held to four points on 1 of 9 shooting and had eight of Iona's 16 turnovers.

Niagara twice cut a 20-point, second-half Iona lead down to three, the last time when Raheem Solomon scored and converted a three-pointe play making the score 67-64 with 15 seconds left.