Women's College Basketball
Manhattan College 50, Rider University 47
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Game
LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ—Despite 17 points and 10 rebounds from senior MyNeshia McKenzie (Springfield, Pa./Springfield-Delco) the Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game to Manhattan Thursday evening.
“We were sloppy with the ball,” said head coach Lynn Milligan who saw her squad commit a season-high 26 turnovers. “We turned the ball over and didn't give ourselves enough shots at the basket. It was a disappointing effort all around.”
With the score tied at 30, Manhattan (4-12, 3-4 MAAC) went on an 8-1 run, five points by Blake Underhill, to take a 38-31 lead with 12:58 left to play, and the Jaspers never trailed again. Underhill finished with eight points.
“Manhattan plays good defense,” Milligan said. “They play a 1-3-1 for 40 minutes so it's not like you don't know what's coming. We didn't execute what we wanted to execute. Our sense of urgency is lacking and we were a little complacent.”
Rider entered the game averaging 12.6 turnovers a game, 14th lowest in the nation.
Allison Skrec scored a jumper in the lane to give the Jaspers a 50-47 lead with 19 seconds left. Skrec finished with eight points, six assists and five rebounds.
Rider had a chance to tie the game before turning the ball over with six seconds left and after a missed Jasper free throw, the Bronc three-pointer at the buzzer was off-line.
The score was tied at 28 at the half.
Trailing 24-13, Rider (7-9, 3-4 MAAC) went on a 13-0 run, five points by McKenzie, to take a 26-24 lead with 3:23 left in the first half.
There were four ties and three lead changes in the contest.
Manhattan jumped out to a 17-5 lead, 11 points by Monica Roeder, as the Broncs made just one of their first 10 shots from the field. Roeder finished with 16 points.
The 'double-double' for McKenzie was her ninth of the season and the 35th of her career.
“We need to practice and play with a different mindset,” McKenzie said. “Our consistency right now isn't up to par.”
McKenzie is second in the MAAC in both scoring (20.3) and rebounding (10.8).
“We need to learn how to play 40 minutes, no matter who we play,” McKenzie added. “We didn't do that the last two games. That's where we are lacking right now.”
McKenzie was the MAAC player of the week the first week of January and was the Rider Athlete of the Month for December.
Rider junior Lashay Banks (Philadelphia, Pa./Prep Charter) added seven points in 16 minutes off the bench.
Rider freshman Julia Duggan (Marmora/Ocean City) came in off the bench to compile six points and six rebounds in 15 minutes of action. Duggan was named the MAAC Rookie of the Week last week.
Rider out-rebounded Manhattan 40-26, as junior Marritta Gillcrease (Pittsburgh, Pa./Perry Traditional Academy) grabbed 10 to go along with her six points and three blocked shots. The Broncs held a 10-3 advantage on the offensive glass.
The win snapped a four-game losing streak for Manhattan.
Rider has lost two straight.
“I thought that we would come out with some fire and some energy,” Milligan said about responding to the 76-72 loss this past Sunday. “I thought we would fight tonight and I don't think you saw that. That's a concern for me.”
Rider makes the return trip to Manhattan February 1.
Manhattan made six three-pointers to three for Rider with each team making 20 field goals in the game.
This was the 37th meeting between Manhattan and Rider with the Jaspers winning for the 27th time. Rider swept the season series last season with a 60-57 win in Lawrenceville and a 48-41 win in Riverdale, New York.
The Broncs travel to Saint Peter's Saturday afternoon.
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