Women's College Basketball
Loyola College (Md.) 86, Rider University 78
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Game
BALTIMORE, Md.?Despite 25 points from junior Tammy Meyers (Willingboro), the Rider University women's basketball team lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game at Loyola Sunday afternoon. “Offensively we played pretty well,” said head coach Lynn Milligan. “Defensively we had a couple breakdowns that hurt us. The effort was terrific and we are definitely heading in the right direction. We just have to shore up the defense.”
Trailing by 13, the Broncs scored 20 of the next 28 points, including three three-pointers from Meyers to get within one at 58-57 with 9:48 left in the game.
“Tammy has such a drive right now,” Milligan said. “She is learning to become more of a multi-dimensional player and that is why she is having so much success. She is working very hard.”
Loyola responded with a 9-2 run, taking a 67-59 with 7:20 left.
Rider scored four straight points at the six minute mark to get within four but that was as close as the Broncs would get.
This was the third ?double-double' in a row for senior Shaunice Parker (Waldorf, Md./West Lake) who scored 16 points while grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds. Parker passed Leanne Moore for sixth place on Rider's all-time rebound list and now has 626 boards in her career.
“Shaunice is seeing the ball off the rim really well,” Milligan said. “She wants every rebound and is doing what she can to get her hands on every loose ball.” Of Parker's 10 rebounds, five were on the offensive glass.
Loyola (6-2, 2-0 MAAC) opened the second half on an 11-4 run and led 50-37 with 16:44 left in the game.
Trailing 10-9 five minutes into the game, Rider (2-5, 0-2 MAAC) went on a 12-4 run, four points each by juniors Amanda Sepulveda (Perth Amboy/Hun) and Ashley Anderson (East Orange) as the Broncs took a 21-14 lead with nine minutes to go before the half. Sepulveda had nine points and six assists with Anderson coming off the bench for 10 points in 13 minutes.
“Ashley is giving us a spark off the bench,” Milligan said. “She is confident in her shot and rebounds very well.”
Anderson had three rebounds in the game, two on the offensive glass.
“Ashley is finishing for us on the block,” Milligan added. “She is working to get herself open and that's going to be the key to her success. She is really taking to what assistant coach Rashana Barnes is telling her and we are seeing the results of that.”
Loyola led 39-33 at intermission after using a 13-2 run with four minutes left in the first half to retake the lead.
Rider out-rebounded Loyola 37-26, the sixth time this season that the Broncs have out-rebounded their opponent.
“The more we out-rebound our opponents, the more opportunities we will have on the offensive end of the floor,” said Milligan. “The more possessions we have, the better chance we will have to score.”
Each team made 31 field goals with the Hounds holding a 10 point advantage from the free throw line.
This was the 32nd meeting all-time between Loyola and Rider with the Greyhounds winning 25 times including eight in a row and 11 of the last 12.
Loyola has won five straight and the Broncs have lost four in a row.
This is the second game in a row that Rider has scored at least 78 but it is also the second game in a row that the Broncs have given up 86 or higher. “The first couple of games we struggled offensively,” Milligan added. “Now we are clicking on the offensive end and struggling defensively. We are still trying to find the right balance.”
This was Rider's 200th MAAC regular season game.
After a break for final exams, Rider hosts the United States Naval Academy at 7:00pm on December 19.
“We are going to work in the next two weeks to strengthen our strengths and fix the weaknesses,” Milligan said. “We need to find a better balance. We've had games that we've been very, very good both offensively and defensively, just not in the same game. So that's our plan as we have this break in the schedule.”
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