Women's College Basketball
Rider University 63, Bucknell University 43
LAWRENCEVILLE--The Rider University women's basketball team improved to 2-0 this season with a 63-43 win over Bucknell University on Sunday in Alumni Gymnasium.
Rider was led by 'double-doubles' from sophomore MyNeshia McKenzie (Springfield, Pa./Springfield (Delco)) who had 16 points, 12 rebounds and junior Caitlin Bopp (Baltimore, Md./Inst. of Notre Dame) who finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds. A MAAC All-Rookie selection as a freshman, McKenzie had four offensive rebounds to go along with five assists and three steals in 37 minutes.
"The game is coming to me and I'm starting to understand more how teams are playing me," McKenzie said. "I feel that I'm maturing as a player, both on and off the court."
"We truly 100 percent want to win," Bopp said. "In previous years, we wanted to win but really didn't take the initiative to do it. I can honestly say to a player that we are all working together to win."
Trailing 38-34 three minutes into the second half, Rider went on a 27-1 run, nine points by senior Ali Heller (Boca Raton, Fla./St. Andrews) as the Broncs opened up a 61-39 lead with 4:22 left in the game. Heller finished with 14 points, making four shots from three-point range.
Last season, as the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference 6th Player of the Year, Heller was 10th in the nation in three-point field goal percentage.
Rider held Bucknell to one field goal (1-21) and seven points in the second half and held the Bison without a three-point field goal in the game (0-8). Rider made seven (of 17) from long range.
"I told the team in the locker room that I don't remember being more proud of a defensive effort in a half than I was today, in my 20-years of coaching," said Milligan. "We bought into a defensive adjustment in the second half and executed it perfectly. That level of perfection just doesn't happen. Holding a team to seven points is impressive."
Tied at 26, Bucknell used a 10-3 run, four points by Felicia Mgbada as the Bison opened up their biggest lead of the game, 36-29 with 1:01 left in the first half. Heller cut the Bison lead to 36-32 with a three-pointer, 49 seconds before intermission and the Bison led by four at the break after a Bronc defensive stop.
Mgbada had 11 points, 10 in the opening 20 minutes. Bucknell (1-1) was led by Christina Chukwuedo who had 16 points, 14 in the first half.
"We talked at the half about making some adjustments on the defensive end," Milligan said. "Some of our fundamentals were a little out of whack and we gave them some easy looks in the first 20 minutes. Because we started scoring early in the second half, we were able to stick with more with our zone defense."
Also for Rider, senior Sarah Homan (Upper Darby, Pa./Delco Christian) finished with eight points and four rebounds with junior Sironda Chambers (Newark, Del/Harcum) adding five points, all from the foul line. Chambers also dished out six assists.
"Sironda makes things happen," Milligan said. "When she turns the corner, she has a true change of speed and you better be ready for it. She is smart and understands the game. She is unselfish and a balanced player."
Rider had 16 assists off of 23 made baskets.
Rider out-shot the Bison 43 percent (23-53) to 36 percent (18-50) and the Broncs held a 37-31 advantage on the glass.
This marks the first time since the 1982-83 season that Rider has started a season 2-0.
Rider opened this season with an exhibition loss to West Chester after having a second half lead, had a 17-point lead cut to two in an eight-point win over Lafayette on Friday night before opening up a 22-point lead and winning by 20 today.
"Having the lead and extending it today is another step in the process," Milligan said. "It says that we have character. Saying you want to win is one thing, actually doing it is another. We are finally buying into what we need to do on a daily basis to be successful."
"Winning feels great," Bopp said. "After the West Chester game, coach Milligan reminded us that our first win last season came in January. To be 2-0 is an amazing feeling. We still have a long way to go but it is good for this team to get off to a strong start."
"Winning helps with going to practice," McKenzie said. "There is energy in the gym and in the end, we are confident that we can pull games out. It really makes practice fun and the games are even better."
Rider's bench out-scored the Bison 23-6.
"That means we finally have depth," Milligan said. "When you have Homan and Heller coming in off the bench and giving the team a spark, that's huge. They would be starting for most teams. Ali is about as confident you can be with her shot and Sarah came off a 20 point, nine rebound game Friday night. We have balance and players who understand their roles."
This was the 23rd meeting all-time between Rider and Bucknell with the Broncs winning for the ninth time. The Bison defeated Rider in the 2010-11 season opener 53-48 in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.
"This was a redemption win for us," McKenzie said. "We felt last year's loss to them was a bad loss."
Rider travels to the Palestra in Philadelphia on November 19 to face the Penn Quakers at 3:30pm.
"This is still just two wins," Milligan said. "We get to enjoy this until Monday at 3:15pm when we start preparing for Pennsylvania. We are getting right back at it and our eyes are forward onto that game. This is a long, long season and this is only second of many steps to come."
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