Women's College Basketball
La Salle University 63, Rider University 47
PHILADELPHIA, Pa.?Despite 10 points each from junior Ashley Anderson (East Orange) and senior Shaunice Parker (Waldorf, Md./West Lake), the Rider University women's basketball team lost a non-conference game to La Salle University Sunday afternoon at Tom Gola Arena.
Trailing by 12 with 13:38 left in the second half, Rider (2-7) used a 10-5 run, six points by Anderson to cut the Explorer lead to seven at the 7:30 mark but that was as close as the Broncs would get. In 24 minutes off the bench, Anderson added four rebounds and a blocked shot.
“Ashley has accepted her role and has flourished in it,” head coach Lynn Milligan said. “She is not only giving us minutes off the bench, she is giving us results.”
Leading by 11 with five minutes left in the game, La Salle (7-5) went on a 10-3 run opening up its biggest lead of the game 63-45 with 39 seconds left.
“Every time we got it close, La Salle would hit a three and that was the dagger today,” Milligan said. “Three times we cut it to eight and we made mistakes not covering their shooters.”
La Salle was led by Margaret Elderton who led all scorers with 19 points on seven for 11 shooting including 75 percent from three-point range. “Margaret is a good player,” Milligan said. “I knew when she transferred to La Salle that she would win some games for them. She is steady and puts players in the right spot and that's what she did for them today.”
The Explorers made only two more field goals than Rider (22-20) with the difference from three-point range. La Salle made six more three-pointers in the game with Rider going one for 12 from long distance, missing its first 10 in a row.
“We don't have a roster of three-point shooters but we can hit the three,” Milligan said. “When we hesitate with our shot and think about what we are going to do instead of just reacting, we are going to struggle and La Salle's sagging man to man defense caused a lot of that today.”
“We worked to identify Rider's three-point threats,” said fifth year La Salle head coach Tom Lochner. “We were trying to get up on them and force them to dribble the ball. I don't know if it was our defense or Rider's inability to hit some shots but overall I was happy with our defensive effort today.”
This was Rider's lowest offensive output of the season and the third under 50 point effort. The Broncs scored 48 at Seton Hall on November 14 and lost a two-point overtime game at Monmouth scoring 48 on November 24.
The Broncs held a 32-18 points in the paint advantage.
Rider opened the game on a 4-0 run, two points each by senior Danielle Costantino (Norristown, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) and Parker before the Explorers tied the game with a 4-0 run of their own. Costantino finished with two points, two assists and a steal in 18 minutes of play.
Trailing by one, the Broncs went on a 6-0 run, four points by junior Stephanie Wisniewski (Levittown, Pa./Villa Joseph Marie) and led 14-9 with 10 minutes remaining in the opening half. Wisniewski had eight points, shooting a perfect three for three from the field in 14 minutes of action.
“We had a great start to the game and defensively worked very hard,” Milligan added. “We defended their sets extremely well but had some lapses toward the end of the half that cost us.”
Trailing 16-11, La Salle went on a 12-2 run, taking a 23-18 lead with 1:35 left in the opening half and the Explorers led 25-18 at intermission. Rider was held to one field goal during the last 7:35 of the first half.
The game featured two ties and three lead changes, all in the first half.
The Broncs have lost six straight with La Salle winning its third game in a row.
“We are working to make the team better every day,” Milligan said. “We will continue to work hard and stay the course. The season is a marathon and not a sprint.”
Rider leading scorer junior Tammy Meyers (Willingboro) was held to four points on two of 10 shooting. Meyers entered the game averaging 16.4 points per game.
“I think the break will do Tammy some good,” Milligan said. “She is struggling a little and things are getting in her head. She is working hard and will bounce back when we play Virginia.”
Parker and junior Amanda Sepulveda (Perth Amboy/Hun) led the Broncs with five rebounds with Sepulveda adding eight points despite an 0-8 effort from three-point range.
Rider out-rebounded La Salle 33-32 with each team shooting 40 percent from the field.
“The game was closer than the final score indicated,” Lochner added. “I told our team that Rider works very hard and would not go away and they didn't. We were fortunate that some of our shots late in the game went in when Rider made it close.”
This was the seventh meeting all-time between the two teams with La Salle winning all seven.
Rider travels to Charlottesville, Virginia to play in the Marriott Cavalier Classic tournament on December 28 against the host Cavaliers.
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