Women's College Basketball
Rider University 79, Niagara University 73 (3 ot)
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Game
NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y.-The Rider University women's basketball team was over a barrel at Niagara University so it was fitting for a player who missed her first 11 shots of the night to bail them out.
Sophomore Shereen Lightbourne (Elmsford, N.Y./Alexander Hamilton) hit a three-pointer with 4:09 left in the third overtime, breaking a 65-65 tie and junior Ali Heller (Boca Raton, Fla./St. Andrews) also hit a three to give the Broncs a six point lead as Rider (4-22, 4-11 MAAC) won a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference thriller Friday evening over the Purple Eagles.
Lightbourne, who had an otherwise forgettable night shooting, going one for 12 from the field, finished with seven points, all in overtime and pulled down seven rebounds while playing 50 minutes. Heller managed to tie a career-high with 15 points after making only one of her first nine three-point attempts.
"This was a really unbelievable game," said head coach Lynn Milligan who, in four seasons, improved to 6-2 in overtime games at Rider, including 3-0 this season. "I'm really proud of our team. They really gutted one out tonight. It was a great game, both ways, back and forth. Shereen's shot was huge to start the third overtime."
The game featured 13 ties and 14 lead changes.
Freshman MyNeshia McKenzie (Springfield, Pa./Springfield (Delco)) had her fourth 'double-double' in a row with a career-high 22 points to go along with 12 rebounds, playing 52 minutes. McKenzie, who is a two-time MAAC Rookie of the Week honoree, has vaulted her name into Rookie of the Year consideration in the conference and is averaging 19 points and 11.5 rebounds per game over the last four games.
"Mac (McKenzie) was amazing tonight," Milligan said.
Junior Sarah Homan (Upper Darby, Pa./Delco Christian) had 13 points, 10 in the second half and had four blocks in the game.
"We are not built to have one player carry us every night," Milligan said. "We do need different people to step up at different times and we got that tonight."
Trailing 42-38, Rider went on a 7-0 run, five points by Homan as the Broncs took a 45-42 lead with 6:56 left.
Rider led 48-44 before the Purple Eagles rallied with a 6-0 run, to re-take the lead from the Broncs 50-48 with 4:08 left.
Niagara (1-25, 0-15 MAAC) tied the game at 57 on a three-pointer by Jessica Flamm with 4.3 seconds left in regulation and the Broncs turned the ball over with 1.1 seconds left on the ensuing possession before the Bronc defense caused a Purple Eagle turnover at the buzzer. Flamm led Niagara with a 'double-double' of 15 points and 13 rebounds.
Trailing 19-13 with 7:57 left in the opening half, the Broncs scored 12 of the final 15 points of the period, seven by McKenzie and Rider led 25-22 at intermission.
Trailing 13-10, Niagara went on a 9-0 run, opening up its largest lead of the game at the eight minute media timeout.
This was Rider's first road win in the 14 games away from Alumni Gym this season. "We needed to prove that we could win on the road," said Milligan. "The MAAC tournament is on the road and we have two more road games left so it is important that we start playing well away from home and that started tonight."
Niagara has lost 20 straight, the second longest losing streak in the nation, with its last win against Penn on November 30.
"Niagara battled and battled and we couldn't really put the ball in the basket," Milligan added. "I'm just really proud of the team for pulling this one out."
Rider shot 29.9 percent (20-67) in the game including just 17.6 percent (3-17) in the three o.t. periods.
Also for the Broncs, red-shirt sophomore Alyssa Parsons (Ivyland, Pa./Archbishop Wood) had 14 points, six assists and five rebounds, logging 49 minutes.
"I'm hoping Alyssa will be able to walk Saturday, let alone play on Sunday," Milligan quipped about her team captain. "Alyssa is as tough as they come, battling through a back injury tonight and refusing to let us lose this game. All she wants to do is win and that is infectious."
Rider held a 51-50 advantage on the boards and made 30 free throws (out of 42 attempts), including 14 in overtime.
This was the 31st meeting between Rider and Niagara with the Broncs winning 13 times and the second time in series history (2-0 Rider record) that the Broncs and Purple Eagles have played o.t. Rider beat the Purple Eagles in overtime on January 26, 2001 by an 84-80 score.
Niagara travels to Alumni Gym for the re-match on February 27 in a game that will be televised on the Madison Square Garden Plus network.
The Broncs are 3-0 in overtime this season including a single o.t. win over Saint Peter's (January 15, 70-69) and a double-overtime victory over Iona (February 6, 93-87).
"We learned the same things about the team tonight that we learned after the Saint Peter's game and after the Iona game, that this team will not quit and will not bail on each other," Milligan said. "I also learned that three overtimes is a really long game."
For both Rider and Niagara, it is believed that this was the first triple o.t. game for each school.
Rider stays in Western, New York to play Canisius at 2pm on Sunday. The Broncs won over the Golden Griffins 68-58 on January 10 in Lawrenceville. Canisius lost at home to Iona 66-56 Friday evening and Rider and the Golden Griffins are now tied for seventh in the MAAC at 4-11.
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