Women's College Basketball
Loyola College 66, Rider University 59
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Game
LAWRENCEVILLE?The Broncs battled back from a 17 point second half deficit on the strength of a ?double-double' from junior Shaunice Parker but it wasn't enough as Loyola defeated Rider 66-59 in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game Sunday afternoon. “We had to step up and make some shots and we didn't do that, especially in the first half,” said head coach Lynn Milligan. “We waited too long to get started today and dug ourselves a hole we couldn't get out of.”
Parker (Waldorf, Md./West Lake) tied a career-high with 16 points, 10 in the second half and added a conference game career-high 13 rebounds (eight in the second half) in 37 minutes of action for her seventh career ?double-double' and fifth this season. Parker, who also had three blocks in the game, is 17th on the all-time rebound list, two behind Yvonne Derricotte who had 452 rebounds from 1975-1978.
“I'm not sure why we aren't starting the way we need to,” Parker said. “We're so used to being down in games and fighting back and we can't continue to do that. We have to get out of that mentality. We need to get that 40 minute effort to give ourselves a chance to win.”
Down 52-35 with 8:14 remaining in the game, Rider (5-11, 0-5 MAAC) went on a 14-2 run, six points by Parker and five by sophomore Tammy Meyers (Willingboro) to get within five 54-49 with 3:45 left. Meyers finished with 11 points, two steals and two assists in 31 minutes.
Down 62-54 with 1:20 left, the Broncs again rallied with a 5-0 run, three points by sophomore Amanda Sepulveda (Perth Amboy/Hun School) to get within three with 39 seconds left but that was as close as Rider would get with Loyola (8-7, 3-2 MAAC) hitting four free throws for the final score. Sepulveda finished with 10 points, five rebounds and five assists for Rider.
“We're right there at the end but we aren't getting over that hump,” Milligan added. “The kids are frustrated but they are working hard so we just have to keep battling and keep trying to get better. We have a team of fighters and they are never going to quit. Unfortunately, we are digging ourselves that hole and it takes so much of our effort just to get out of it and then we still have to have enough energy left to try to win the game.”
The Greyhounds opened the game on an 8-0 run before Rider countered with the next five points. Up 17-16, Loyola went on an 11-0 run to lead 28-16 with 2:37 left in the first half and the 'Hounds led 28-20 at intermission.
The Broncs got to within four at 28-24 early in the second half before Loyola went on a 15-2 run to lead by 17 with 11 minutes remaining.
Rider out-rebounded Loyola 43-26 including 18-6 on the offensive glass.
“We had 18 offensive rebounds but we didn't capitalize on them,” Milligan said. “We haven't scored off our offensive rebounds and that is definitely something we have to work on. We're getting the effort, now we just have to finish and capitalize on the opportunities.”
Also for the Broncs, senior Janele Henderson (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bishop Loughlin) had 12 points.
The Greyhounds broke a four game losing streak and Rider has now lost four straight.
Loyola now leads the series with Rider 22-7 and have won five in a row over the Broncs and nine of the last 10.
The loss is Rider's 10th this season by single digits, tops in the nation. “We had the opportunity to win the game,” Milligan added. “We didn't get it done. We need to learn how to win. We are making progress and now it is time to take that next step. From where we were to where we are now, we took an astronomical step and where we want to be from where we are now is another astronomical step. And we will continue to work hard to get there.”
The Broncs travel to Fairfield for a 7:00pm MAAC game on January 18.
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