Schools
March Madness Took Over New Rochelle
Iona College's men's basketball team has created a buzz around the city and a packed house inside Beechmont Tavern.
The gold and maroon balloons and banners were hung behind the bar inside Beechmont Tavern Tuesday night as the Iona communities gathered to watch the Cinderella hopeful begin its journey towards glory.
The men’s hoops team was awarded an at-large bid in the NCAA tournament and drew a first-round matchup against BYU in Ohio. But distance did not prevent Gaels fans from supporting their team. They rocked North Avenue with their “I-O-N-A I-O-N-A” chants from the to to Spectator’s Sports Pub.
Kristina Vitullo, who graduated from Iona College in 2010, had this to say about the scene. “It’s packed from wall to wall. You can’t move.”
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The fans were all in, watching and reacting to the game as if Iona was playing in their home gym. Cheers and excitement filled the room for
every shot and rebound; expletives and boos for every foul call and BYU point.
“There’s a sense of pride after the loss of the football team,” Vitullo said. “This is the first big event for the school since then.”
