Marriott Cavalier Classic ? Consolation Game
Maryland, Baltimore County 76, Rider University 55
Tammy Meyers All-Tournament for the Broncs
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.?Despite a career-high 14 points from freshman Sarah Homan (Upper Darby, Pa./Delco Christian) and 11 points from all-tournament honoree junior Tammy Meyers (Willingboro), the Rider University women's basketball team lost to UMBC in the consolation game of the Marriott Cavalier Classic on Monday afternoon at John Paul Jones Arena in Virginia.
“Sarah is going to be a player for us,” said head coach Lynn Milligan. “We talk all the time that it is time for her to emerge. She has the talent and is a very fundamentally skilled player. Her biggest challenge is going to be the physical play on the Division I level. That is her biggest adjustment so far coming out of high school but she was a bright spot today.”
Homan finished with seven rebounds and three blocks in 16 minutes of action, including an eight for eight effort from the free throw line.
UMBC (8-5) started the game on a 7-0 run as Rider (2-9) missed its first five shots. Back to back three-pointers by junior Danielle Costantino (Norristown, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) got Rider to within five at 11-6 four minutes into the game. Costantino finished with nine points, all in the first half.
“Danielle is a shooter and we need her to score,” Milligan said. “We expect her to do that.”
Trailing by nine with 11:52 left in the first half, the Broncs went on a 5-0 run off a three-pointer from junior Amanda Sepulveda (Perth Amboy/Hun) and a steal and layup by Meyers to cut the Retriever lead to four 17-13 with 11:07 left in the opening period.
Meyers added five rebounds in 39 minutes and averaged 10 points and six rebounds over the two games. Sepulveda added nine points and two rebounds in 29 minutes of action on Monday.
After a Retriever three put the UMBC advantage back to seven, Rider took a 21-20 lead at the eight minute mark with an 8-0 run, three points each by Costantino and junior Stephanie Wisniewski (Levittown, Pa./Villa Joseph Marie). Wisniewski finished with five points.
UMBC responded with a 13-2 run to re-take the lead, opening up a 10 point margin, 33-23 with 4:36 remaining in the opening period. Rider rallied again with a 5-0 run, three points by Meyers and the Retrievers led 35-30 at intermission.
UMBC opened the second half, scoring 12 of the first 16 points as the Retrievers opened up a 13 point lead with 17 minutes left in the game.
“We did a good job pushing the ball to start the second half,” said UMBC head coach Phil Stern, in his seventh season with the Retrievers. “We wanted to get into transition and get some easier baskets than we did in the first half.”
A three-point field goal by freshman Ali Heller (Boca Raton, Fla./St. Andrews) and a Meyers layup sparked a 5-0 run as the Broncs got to within eight (47-39) with 15:22 left in the game but that was as close as Rider would get.
Leading by 14, UMBC put the game away with an 18-6 run opening up its biggest lead of the game 75-49 with four minutes remaining.
“Coming into the game, this was not the result we expected,” Milligan said. “I'm not sure of all the reasons but we'll figure it out before we lace them up against Marist.”
For the Retrievers, Meghan Colabella had 15 points and 20 rebounds, the highest UMBC rebound total since 1999.
“Rebounding has been one of our biggest deficiencies,” Stern said. “Meg was really active for us on the boards tonight.”
The Broncs held UMBC's leading scorer Carlee Cassidy to 11 points on three for 13 shooting. Cassidy entered the game third in the nation averaging 24.0 points per game.
“Scoring 76 points without Carlee having a big game was important for us,” Stern added. “It showed that we can win even when she doesn't have a big night.”
“We knew we had to contain Cassidy,” Milligan said. “Obviously she is a great scorer. We forced some shots but gave up too many second chances and UMBC took advantage.”
Rider was out-rebounded 56-40. “They (UMBC) wanted the ball a little bit more than we did,” Milligan added. “We didn't box out and we continue to believe that we can out jump people. Our positioning was very poor. Rebounding is about heart and desire.”
Rider has lost eight straight with the Retrievers breaking a three-game losing streak.
UMBC has won six of the eight games all-time against Rider including the last three in a row.
Joining Meyers on the all-tournament team was Monica Wright from Virginia, Whitney Jones, and Shanavia Dowdell from Lousiana Tech., Meghan Colabella from UMBC with Lyndra Littles from Virginia named Most Valuable Player.
Virginia won the championship Monday night with a 68-52 win over Louisiana Tech, its fifth straight Cavalier Classic crown with Littles scoring a career-high 33 points to go along with seven rebounds.
The Broncs host defending Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference champion Marist on January 4, 2009 at 1:00pm.
“We have to be ready for Marist,” Milligan said. “Conference play is a whole different ball game.”
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