Women's College Basketball
Manhattan College 71, Rider University 43
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Game
LAWRENCEVILLE--Despite the 14th career 'double-double' from sophomore Caitlin Bopp (Baltimore, Md./Inst. of Notre Dame), the Rider University women's basketball team lost to Manhattan College 71-43 in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game Thursday afternoon in Alumni Gym.
Bopp finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds, nine on the offensive glass in 27 minutes of action.
"Caitlin, you know the effort you are going to get from her," said head coach Lynn Milligan. "We just have to help her put herself in better situations and make it easier. She makes it tougher on herself then it needs to be. As far as effort you are going to get from her, that is pretty much a given."
Manhattan was led by 24 points from Abby Wentworth and 10 points from Nadia Peters.
"We had some breakdowns," said Milligan. "Our defense and offense did not match up today at all. It was a little bit frustrating. I thought we rushed some shots, but that is what Manhattan's defense does. You have to give them credit. They run a good defensive system. They do a good job of it and we didn't react well to it, especially in the second half."
Rider (1-15, 1-4 MAAC) held the Jaspers to an 0-11 start from the field but only led 7-2 at the 14:17 mark of the first half.
Trailing 10-5, Manhattan (11-5, 3-2 MAAC) used a 9-0 run, three points by Wentworth to take a 14-10 lead with 10:08 left in the first half.
A three-pointer by junior Ali Heller (Boca Raton, Fla./St. Andrews) cut Manhattan's lead to 18-16 before the Jaspers went on an 9-2 run, three points by Alyssa Harrington to take a 27-18 lead and the Jaspers led 32-23 at the half. Harrington finished with three points, two rebounds, two assists and three steals.
Heller, who entered play second in the nation in three-point field goal percentage (.516), was four for eight from beyond the arc and finished with 12 points, two rebounds and three assists in 26 minutes off the bench.
"Ali is shooting the ball great," Milligan said. "We didn't get her enough shots today. We didn't get her enough clean open looks and that is something we have to do a better job of, particularly against a zone."
The Jaspers out-scored Rider 12-2 to start the second half, six points by Lindse Loutsenhizer, to take a 44-25 lead with 14:47 left to play. Loutsenhizer finished with nine points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Three points by Bopp and a Heller three-pointer cut the Jasper lead to 14 (45-31) with 9:18 left but that was as close as the Broncs could get.
Leading 52-36, Manhattan ended the game scoring 19 of the final 26 points.
Manhattan caused 26 Rider turnovers and the Jaspers had 17 steals in the game.
"We were hesitant obviously, but we had to get touches inside and they were just not good passes," said Milligan. "Caitlin and Sarah were open all day long and we couldn't get them the ball. The team was looking for some things that weren't there and the looks that we told them were there, we weren't able to complete the pass. If you aren't throwing strong hard passes and ball faking against a zone it really doesn't matter what lanes you are looking in. We were very hesitant today and not fundamental strong as far as our passing."
Rider out-rebounded the Jaspers 41-33, 19-13 on the offensive glass.
Today's game was the 31st meeting between Manhattan and Rider with the Jaspers now holding a 23-8 series lead.
The teams split the season series last season with Rider winning in Lawrenceville and in 2008-09 when the Broncs won in Riverdale, New York. Rider travels to Manhattan for the re-match on January 24 at 7pm.
The game was Rider's participation in the NCAA Kid's Day Out initiative with over 800 fans in attendance. As part of the NCAA Kid's Day, the Broncs worked with local schools in the community to bus elementary and middle school aged children to the Rider campus, exposing the students to the opportunities of higher education via clinics and seminars with the day-long event culminating at the basketball game. This is Rider's third year participating in the program.
Rider completes the three-game home stand with a MAAC game against Saint Peter's on Saturday in Alumni Gym at 2pm.
"I would expect the same thing against Saint Peter's," Milligan said about the Peahens. "They play very good defense. Saint Peter's is going to match up man to man and they are going to get in your shorts and we are going to have to be on point with our passing to be able to execute our offense."
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