English rallies Iona past Monmouth 69-68

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (AP) A.J. English converted a three-point play for the game-winner with 34 seconds left as Iona rallied, then held on to beat Monmouth 69-68 and clinch the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular-season title Sunday.

Down 14 points at intermission and then trailing 68-66, English pump faked Max DiLeo twice before hitting his jumper and drawing the foul. English made his free throw to make it 69-68.

Monmouth had chances in the closing seconds. Justin Robinson's driving layup attempt missed, then went out-of-bounds off a Gael defender with 2.8 seconds remaining. DiLeo grabbed the inbounds pass off a back-side screen and, despite a clear look, his 12-foot jump shot hit off the back of the rim at the buzzer.

David Laury had 24 points and English scored 15 of his 16 points in the second half for Iona (23-6, 16-2), which has won 10 straight.

Robinson scored 24 for Monmouth (16-13, 12-6).