Women's College Basketball
Loyola University Maryland 68, Rider University 59
LAWRENCEVILLE--Despite a career-high 18 points and a career-high 15 rebounds by freshman MyNeshia McKenzie (Springfield, Pa./Springfield (Delco)), the Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game to Loyola Tuesday night in Alumni Gym.
McKenzie scored 12 of her points in the first half, enroute to her first career 'double-double'.
"This is MyNeshia's most complete game of the season," said head coach Lynn Milligan. "We wasted her effort with some bad defense tonight. This effort is what she is capable of and the real test will be to see if she can put up this kind of effort game in and game out. We think she has taken that step in understanding this level of basketball."
McKenzie added two blocks and an assist in 38 minutes of action.
Loyola (5-8, 2-0 MAAC) led 50-42 before going on a 13-6 run, seven points by Katie Sheahin, to take a 63-48 lead with 4:00 left to play. Sheahin finished with 20 points in 37 minutes of play.
"Credit Loyola for taking advantage of some of our non-switches," Milligan said. "We got caught a few times too low and they took advantage of that."
Rider junior Ali Heller (Boca Raton, Fla./St. Andrews) came in off the bench and made four of five three-pointers, tying a career-high with 14 points in 25 minutes of work. Heller ranks first in Division I in three-point field goal percentage (.537).
"Ali is a great shooter," said Milligan. "We need to keep her exposure on the defensive end down a little better by helping on that end of the court a little more. If we work to get her open and her feet get set, she is going to make the shot."
Holding a 33-31 lead early in the second half, Loyola went on an 11-5 run, four points by grad student Erica DiClemente, to take a 44-36 lead with 13:30 left to play. DiClemente finished with 16 points and eight rebounds.
The Broncs (0-13, 0-2 MAAC) scored the final seven points of the first half, three points by McKenzie, to cut the halftime lead to 31-29.
With the score tied at 15, Loyola went on a 16-7 run, five points by Meredith Tolley, to take a 31-22 lead with 3:50 left in the first half. Tolley finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds.
"We gave up layup after layup," Milligan added. "We didn't make Loyola earn their baskets tonight. We lost by nine and we probably gave them 15-20 points on a mismatch or offside help not coming over. We need to play better on the defensive end."
The 'Hounds out-rebounded the Broncs 40-39. Each team committed 12 turnovers with Loyola scoring 14 points off of the Bronc turnovers.
Loyola swept Rider last season and the Greyhounds have won 28 of the 36 games all-time against the Broncs.
The Broncs have lost 13 straight and 17 in a row dating back to last season. Loyola has won two straight, both MAAC road wins.
This is the third game in a row that a Rider player has compiled a 'double-double' with sophomore Caitlin Bopp (Baltimore, Md./Inst. of Notre Dame) compiling 10 points and 14 rebounds against Buffalo and junior Sarah Homan (Upper Darby, Pa./Delco Christian) scoring 10 points with 10 rebounds at Marist.
Rider travels to Siena Saturday. The Saints won at Manhattan 51-44 on Tuesday afternoon and are undefeated in MAAC play at 2-0.
"We tend to play Siena well," Milligan said. "It is always a good battle. They are a veteran team and we are going to have to defend the perimeter better than we did tonight."
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