Twitter – Twitter.com/RiderAthletics-Rider and Iona are meeting for the 44th time, with the Gaels owning a 27-16 lead in the series history. The Broncs took the earlier meeting between the two teams this season, 85-65, in Lawrenceville, NJ. Rider used a program-record 24-0 run spanning nearly 10 minutes to close out the second quarter and begin the third to top the defending MAAC Champion Gaels.
- Last time out, junior guard
Kamila Hoskova recorded her first career double-double thanks to a 20-point, 11-rebound performance to lead Rider past visiting Siena, 72-70. Hoskova scored six of the final eight Bronc points as Rider held off a late rally Saint rally. Three other Rider players scored in double figures highlighted by
Stella Johnson scoring 15 points to go along with six rebounds, five steals and five assists.
- On Monday, Hoskova was named the College Sports Madness MAAC Women's Basketball Player of the Week. It marked the second time this season that she has earned the honor after receiving the distinction back on January 9. Hoskova averaged over 16 points and eight rebounds per game as Rider went 2-0 in MAAC play last week to move into a tie for first-place in the league standings.
- The win on Saturday was the 17th of the season for Rider. That is the most victories by the Broncs under Head Coach
Lynn Milligan. The team won 15 games during both the 2012-13 and 2013-14 campaigns. The 11 MAAC wins are also the most under Milligan in a season and in program history.
- With the come-from-behind win at Monmouth and Quinnipiac's road loss at Fairfield last week, the Broncs and Bobcats are tied atop the conference standings. Both teams boast 11-3 records in league play and QU has the head-to-head advantage having swept the season series.
- For the first time in program history, the Rider University women's basketball team was named to the CollegeInsider.com Women's Mid-Major Top-25 Poll as announced by the committee on January 10. The CollegeInsider.com Women's Mid-Major Top-25 is now in its seventh season of existence and is voted on by a panel of 31 coaches from across the country. The Broncs entered the poll at No. 25.
- Rider is 7-1 on the road in conference play this season, highlighted by a pair of one-point wins against Canisius and Siena. The Broncs have also scored double-digit triumphs versus Manhattan, Niagara, Marist and Saint Peter's. The team had won six straight away from Lawrenceville in league play before a setback against Quinnipiac on January 21. Overall, the Broncs have 10 road wins which is tied for third in the country.
- Rider is 13-1 when leading at halftime this winter. They had won their first 11 games before the Fairfield loss on January 14. The Broncs have won three straight conference games when trailing at halftime thanks to topping Manhattan and Saint Peter's two weeks ago and Monmouth last week.
- Three weeks ago,
Robin Perkins sank a free throw at Siena for her 1,000th point at Rider. She is the 20th player in program history to reach the milestone. She currently has 1,148 points as a Bronc and is tied for tops in the MAAC in scoring with 16.8 points per game.
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Julia Duggan recorded her team-leading sixth double-double of the season against Fairfield. She scored a season-high 21 points on 6-of-12 shooting to go along with 10 rebounds. Hoskova is the only other Bronc to record a double-double this season and that came last time out against the Saints. Duggan currently ranks seventh in program history with 719 career rebounds. For her career she is averaging over six rebounds per game and this season she has pulled down more than seven boards in 13 games.
- Rider has used the same starting lineup in all 23 games this season. The quintet of Perkins, Duggan,
Taylor Wentzel,
Kamila Hoskova and freshman
Stella Johnson are scoring over 53 points per game and accounting for 79 percent of the team's scoring this season.
- Rider currently ranks first in the MAAC in field-goal percentage (.418). The Broncs are second in the league in scoring offense (67.2) and scoring margin (+3.8). The team is also third in field-goal percentage defense (.384), free-throw percentage (.732), steals per game (9.7), field-goal percentage defense (.384) and three-point field-goal percentage defense (.293).
- The Broncs have four different players that rank in the top-five in the MAAC in different statistical categories. Perkins is tied for first in points per game (16.8) and fourth in three-pointers made per game (2.3),
Stella Johnson is second in both field-goal percentage (.518) and steals (2.8), Wentzel is fifth in both assists per game (3.0) and assist to turnover ratio (1.1) and Duggan is fifth in steals (1.7).
