Women's College Basketball
Fairfield University 51, Rider University 45
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Game
LAWRENCEVILLE-Junior Cintella Spotwood (Trenton/Trenton Central) had 13 points, four rebounds and two assists in 37 minutes as the Rider University women's basketball team lost to Fairfield 51-45 on Friday afternoon in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game.
"This was disappointing," said head coach Lynn Milligan. "Our margin for error is so small with the way we have to play right now. I am trying to get that through to the players that every missed box out, every empty possession is huge, especially since we don't score 80 points a game. We prepared and they did what we asked them to do and the disappointment is coming up short. We just didn't get the job done."
Trailing 43-33 with 7:35 left in the game, Rider (2-16, 0-7 MAAC) went on a 10-3 run, five points by Spotwood, cutting the Stag lead to three (46-43) with 3:09 left.
Fairfield (9-9, 3-4 MAAC) traded baskets with Spotwood hitting a layup with 56 second left to again cut the Stag lead to three. After a jumper by Desiree Pina, the Broncs missed a three-pointer and Pina hit a free throw for the final score. Pina had eight points, six rebounds and four assists for the Stags.
Rider scored six of the first eight points in the game and held an early 12-5 lead, it's largest of the game, four points each by freshmen Carleigh Brown (Philadelphia, Pa./Nazareth Academy) and Dior Brown (Upper Darby, Pa./Upper Darby). C. Brown finished with four points and five rebounds with D. Brown compiling a career-high eight points and five rebounds while tying a career-high with 30 minutes played.
"The coaches are looking for me to bring energy every time I'm on the floor," D. Brown said. "They are looking for me to score a little but also get the little things done and that's what I've tried to do. I'm trying to step up and help the team out as best as I can."
"I thought Dior did a fantastic job on Pina," said Milligan. "Pina is one of the better young point guards in our conference and Dior stepped up and played her tough. Pina was good enough to make that back breaking shot at the end. I love the way Dior plays, without fear. She brings energy and communicates. We have her in a tough spot, playing point guard and she is doing a good job."
Fairfield responded with a 18-2 run and held the Broncs scoreless for 9:06 until senior Amanda Sepulveda (Perth Amboy/Hun) hit a three-pointer at the 1:20 mark making the score 23-17. That shot put Rider on a 9-2 run to end the half and Fairfield led 25-23 at intermission. The field-goal by Sepulveda, Rider's leading scorer, were her only points of the game. Sepulveda, playing with a torn ligament in her foot, returned to action after missing the Niagara game on January 18, her first missed start in 74 games and only the third missed game of her Rider career.
"Amanda is a warrior for us," Milligan said. "Her injury is a pain tolerance. It would have been very easy for her to give up but as a senior and team leader, she wants this team to win."
Rider missed six shots and had seven turnovers in the scoring drought and went three for four from the field in the final minute.
"The easy answer is youth and inconsistency," Milligan said. "We know what we need to do but sometimes we have trouble executing it. We were prepared today and had energy."
Also for Rider, freshman Caitlin Bopp (Baltimore, Md./Inst. of Notre Dame) had 10 points, eight rebounds, three assists and a block. Bopp is a four-time MAAC Rookie of the Week honoree.
"That run brought all of our spirits up," Bopp said. "We did everything we could do to keep that going in the second half."
The Stags opened the second half scoring 16 of the first 24 points, eight points by Stephanie Geehan, opening up a 41-31 lead with 9:41 remaining in the game. Geehan just missed a 'triple-double' with 13 points, 10 rebounds and seven blocks after shooting 0-4 in the opening half.
"I thought we did a good job on Geehan in the opening half," Milligan added.
"We still have to keep working on the little things," Bopp said. "The games that we do that better, that's the games we'll win. We're not going to keep our heads down. We're going to get back up and keep fighting. There isn't anything else you can do but to keep working and keep battling."
Also for Fairfield, Taryn Johnson had 15 points (11 in the opening half), six rebounds and three assists with Katelyn Linney adding 10 points. "We backed off Johnson a little in the second half," Milligan said. Steph (Senior Stephanie Wisniewski) (Levittown, Pa./Villa Joseph Marie), guarded her during the whole second half and did a nice job containing her. Steph is smart and did what we told her to do." Wisniewski finished with five rebounds in a season-high 26 minutes of play.
Rider held a 39-35 advantage on the boards. The Stags committed only eight turnovers with Rider turning the ball over 15 times. Each team had four steals.
Each team struggled from the field with Fairfield shooting (22-58) 38 percent and Rider (18-54) 33 percent. The game had three ties and two lead changes, all in the first half.
This was the 28th meeting all-time with Fairfield winning 25. The teams split two games last season with each team winning on the road.
The Broncs have lost nine straight and Fairfield broke a four-game losing streak.
"It's like we are on a cliff and someone steps on your hand," Milligan said. "You are holding on with the other hand and get it gets stepped on and reach back up with your first. We're handing on and we are going to keep trying to make that climb. We're right there and now we need to get over the hump. A lot of these games, we've been one or two plays away."
This is Rider's sixth single-digit loss of the year.
The two teams meet again on February 21 for a 1pm game at Fairfield.
Rider travels to Loudonville, New York for a MAAC game at Siena (5-10, 3-3 MAAC). The Saints host Loyola Friday night. "Siena is playing really well right now," Milligan said. "I think they are one of the better teams in the league. They start four seniors and we are going to have to have a really solid defensive effort on Sunday."
A season-high 939 fans packed Alumni Gymnasium as part of Rider's participation in the NCAAs Kid's Day initiative. Kid's Day is a conference wide program that gives local school children the opportunity to experience MAAC Women's Basketball first-hand.
"This was a great atmosphere," said Milligan. "Kid's Day is a great day and they gave us energy that we fed off of. It is always good for any team to play in front of an enthusiastic crowd. Overall, we've had great fan support and the community understands how hard the team works and our 'never quit' attitude."
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