If you're reading this, you might wonder what a Gael is. Likely the link didn't help you find out, but you did get to see a rather silly looking mascot.
To be honest, I didn't know much about Iona, much less where it was. That is, until I started doing my college basketball rankings this year. Week after week, Iona consistently appeared in my top 25 and are currently #21.
Iona is not the highest ranked mid-major in my rankings - but the others should be familiar to anyone whose passion for college basketball ranks between casual fan and watching 5+ games a week either because of the fact that their undefeated (Murray State) or the fact that they've done 'it' before (Creighton, Temple, Gonzaga).
So what is special about Iona? Presently, on the Massey Comparison Index, which is essentially a listing of several college basketball wonks who have a computer based ranking (where mine is listed) Iona is ranked #39 - with a peak of #8 and a low ranking of #72 - wildly diverging opinions. They have a couple nice players, but none who are likely to be playing in the NBA. They do have some nice wins but not over any household names in terms of college basketball powerhouses - their best wins are over a collection of mid-majors that will likely be in the tournament (Iona is almost certainly to be in the tournament - the next best team in their conference is rated at #96 - an NIT bubble team).
Most mid-majors that are successful usually have some sort of statistical niche that makes them successful because on a short time table, it's difficult to adjust to a niche style (see Bulldogs, Butler - last two years). Iona is no exception. According to KenPom, Iona plays the 15th fastest pace in NCAA Men's Division I basketball and 15th in offensive efficiency. A run & gun high octane unit that has only a passing interest in defense (outside the top 100 in defensive effiency) isn't that unusual.
No, what makes Iona unique is the fact that as of this writing, they have more wins outside their building than any NCAA Division I Men's basketball team and are 10-3 away from their building. Last year, college basketball teams won 68.4% of their home games so this feat is very impressive; the average College Basketball team playing 13 games away from their building would be 4-9 in those games. To use a more prominent mid-major as a guide, prior to the NCAA Tournament, Butler was 11-7 (equivalent to 8-5) in games outside their building.
Given the somewhat obvious fact that every NCAA Tournament game takes place outside one's own building, this history of success should make Iona a downright dangerous NCAA team, and I predict that Iona will be fairly heavily underseeded.
Fearless forecast: If Iona maintains it's current pace, they will likely finish around 13-3 or 14-2 in their league and win their league championship and be seeded no higher than 11th. As long as Iona is at least a 12, I predict they will play an overseeded 'power conference team' and win. If you're bored on a random Monday or Thursday night in January or February, check this team out. You just might be impressed - all you need is an internet connection via ESPN3.com.
Fear the Gaels.
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