Photo: USA Today
Happy Monday! With another week of Metro Basketball Action in the books, it's time to check out the latest Metro Poll rankings! Without further ado, here is this week's Metro Poll, featuring our newest voter Josh Adams!
This Week's Poll
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As we've seen many times before, Iona once again knocks on the door of St. John's in the fight for the top of the poll. While this upcoming game against Kansas could be the difference maker in who gets the votes next week, the Johnnies should feel some cushion considering the fact that the Gaels lost to Kansas this past weekend. St. Francis continues to sleep at the bottom of the poll, and when looking at the rest of their non-conference schedule, it doesn't look like they'll be waking up anytime soon.
Iona Gets Revenge Against Bama in Florida
Storylines probably aren't a major priority for Rick Pitino when preparing for an opponent. If anyone's seen an interview with this guy, you know he's all about business. That being said, it's pretty hard not to talk about this win for the Gaels without talking about it's significance for Iona, Pitino, and this year's college basketball season as a whole. With this win, Pitino has beaten Top-10 teams with four different programs (Providence, Kentucky, Louisville, Iona), and Iona has broken a 16 year drought in regards to wins against ranked opponents.
When looking at how the Gaels were able to do it, it's highly likely they'll be able to compete against top teams come March. The key for the Gaels against the Tide was limiting their shots beyond the arc, especially when they were struggling to produce themselves. Alabama shot just 5-for-17 from three, and while the Gaels were never able to pull ahead by more than five, these defensive stops were crucial. Despite losses to Belmont and Kansas, Iona is looking more and more like a team that can clean house in this year's MAAC.
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