Women's College Basketball
Iona College 92, Rider University 61
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Game
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y.--Despite 13 points from sophomore Shereen Lightbourne (Elmsford, N.Y./Alexander Hamilton), the Rider University women's basketball team lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game at Iona College (6-13, 2-5 MAAC) Friday night at the Hynes Athletics Center.
Trailing 7-5, Rider (2-16, 2-5 MAAC) scored five straight, three points by sophomore Ali Heller (Boca Raton, Fla./St. Andrews) to take a 10-7 lead nine minutes into the contest. Heller, who entered the game leading the nation in three-point field goal percentage, finished with seven points, going one for one from beyond the arc.
Using a full court press, Iona responded with a 16-1 run, 10 points by Tomica Bacic to re-take the lead from the Broncs 23-11 with 5:21 left in the opening half. After having only two turnovers in the first five minutes of the game, Rider committed 10 during the Gael run and the Broncs were held without a field goal for over eight minutes. Bacic led the Gaels with 22 points.
"Iona took us out of our offensive game early but I'm more disappointed with our defensive effort," said head coach Lynn Milligan. "You can't give up 90 points and expect to win the game." Iona entered the game averaging 54.2 points per contest.
Leading by 12, the Gaels scored 11 of the next 15 points and went up 34-15 with 1:27 before the half and Iona led 34-17 at the break.
"They were up in our shorts," Milligan added. "Their pressure was good, they were trapping our young guards and we panicked a little bit."
Iona held the Broncs to a season-low 20.0 percent (5-25) from the field in the opening half.
Lightbourne hit a three-pointer and sophomore Carleigh Brown (Philadelphia, Pa./Nazareth Academy) made a jumper to bring Rider to within 15 (42-27) with 16:35 left but that was as close as the Broncs would get. C. Brown finished with eight points and four rebounds.
Leading by 30, Iona hit a three-pointer to break the 90 point mark and open up its largest lead of the contest (with 1:00 left) before Bronc freshman MyNeshia McKenzie (Springfield, Pa./Springfield (Delco)) hit a layup for the final score. McKenzie finished with 10 points and six rebounds for Rider.
Iona shot 52.5 percent from the field for the game including a blistering 61.3 percent (19-31) in the second half. Rider shot 30.4 percent (17-56) in the game.
Also for Rider, sophomore Dior Brown (Upper Darby, Pa./Upper Darby) had 10 points, five rebounds and five steals with sophomore Caitlin Bopp (Baltimore, Md./Inst. of Notre Dame), the leading rebounder in the MAAC, compiling eight points and nine boards, five on the offensive glass.
Rider entered play having won two of their last three including a 70-69 overtime win over Saint Peter's on January 15. Iona snapped a two-game losing streak.
Rider was out-rebounded 43-32 in the game. Each team committed 23 turnovers.
This was the 30th meeting between Iona and Rider with the Gaels winning 19 including four of the last six. The teams meet again in Lawrenceville, New Jersey on February 6, 2011 at 1pm when Rider will celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day in Alumni Gym.
Rider travels to Riverdale, New York for a MAAC game against Manhattan on January 24 at 7pm. The Jaspers (12-5, 4-2 MAAC), who host first place Marist Saturday afternoon, defeated the Broncs 71-43 on January 13.
"We are going to have to re-group quickly," Milligan added about the matchup with Manhattan. "We are going to have to watch film and as coaches, put the players in better and more successful positions to succeed."
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