Women's College Basketball
Monmouth University 66, Rider University 62
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference / hOURglass Rivalry Game

LAWRENCEVILLE—Jasmine Walker hit an off balance jumper with 17.4 seconds remaining in the game to break a 62-62 tie and lead Monmouth University to a 66-62 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference win over Rider University on Thursday afternoon in Alumni Gymnasium.

“We played a good defensive possession there,” said head coach Lynn Milligan.  “Credit her for making a tough shot.  When a team is struggling, it seems that those are the types of shots that fall for your opponents.  For some reason with where we are, those shots go in for the other team.”

After a Rider miss in the paint with four seconds left, the Hawks made two free throws with 0.2 seconds remaining for the final score.

Monmouth was led by 18 points and eight rebounds from Sarah Olson. 

Junior Emily Fazzini (Wayne, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) tied the game for Rider (3-12, 0-5 MAAC) at 62-62 on a three-pointer with 47 seconds remaining in the second half, the eighth and final tie of the contest.  Fazzini was one of four Broncs in double-digits, finishing with 14 points in 28 minutes of play.

“I thought it was a good ball game that went back and forth,” said Milligan.  “I thought both teams played really hard.  We needed one more score and one more stop and weren't able to get that done at the end of the game.”

Trailing 57-56, Monmouth (6-8, 2-3 MAAC) went on a 6-0 run, with three Hawks hitting the scoring column as Monmouth went back into the lead 62-57 with 3:13 left, the sixth and final lead change of the contest.

Tied 44-44, Rider went on a 9-2 run, five points by sophomore Robin Perkins (Willingboro/Trenton Catholic) and four points from senior Lashay Banks (Philadelphia, Pa./Prep Charter) as the Broncs took their largest lead of the game, 53-46 with 8:19 remaining in the second half.

“We go hard in practice,” Perkins said.  “We just have to carry it over to the games.

Perkins led Rider with her first career 'double-double', scoring 19 points (one off a career-high) and added a career-high 11 rebounds, five on the offensive glass with Banks scoring 10 points and eight rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench.

“I thought Robin was in a good rhythm today,” Milligan said.  “Her strength is when we can get her in transition.  I thought she made some tough shots in an up tempo game.”

Tied 37-37 early in the second half, Rider scored five in a row, four points by Perkins as the Broncs led 42-37 with 16:37 left in the game.

The opening portion of the game was a close battle until Monmouth turned an 11-11 tie into a 24-13 lead with 10:16 left in the first period on the strength of a 13-2 run.

Rider responded with a 10-1 run, four points by sophomore Julia Duggan (Marmora/Ocean City), eventually cutting the Hawk lead to 25-23 with 6:20 left in the opening half.  Duggan finished with 10 points, seven rebounds and three steals in 30 minutes of play.

After Monmouth pushed the lead to eight (35-27) with 1:35 left in the first period, Rider used a 7-0 run, three points by sophomore Stephanie Mason (Jackson/Jackson Memorial) to head into intermission trailing 35-34.  Mason finished with those three points in eight minutes off the bench.

Rider out-rebounded Monmouth 47-33 including 17-5 on the offensive glass but the Hawks made eight three-pointers to stay in the game and Monmouth had 19 assists on 25 made field goals.

Each team shot 80 percent from the free throw line and the Hawks out-shot Rider from the field 42 percent (25-60) to 36 percent (24-67).

Rider has lost five straight including MAAC losses by one, three and now four points.  Monmouth snapped a four-game losing streak.

“We are going to keep battling and do what we do,” Milligan said.  “We need to work on the little things so we are on the winning end of a close score next time.  We talk about it all the time, the MAAC is a great conference and these games always come down to one or two possessions.  We had a couple too many 'my bads' today, turning the ball over."

Monmouth leads the all-time series 26-12.  Rider had won three in a row and four of the last five against the Hawks entering play.

“We aren't where we want to be,” Milligan said.  “But the sky isn't falling.  These young ladies work hard every single day.  If we are out there, getting our doors blown off by 20 points every game, that's something different but we are not.  We need to play better with leads and continue with our process.  We know we are going to be in close games and we have to find a way to get on the other (winning) side of them.”

Over 1,000 fans packed Alumni Gym as the Broncs participated in the NCAA Kid's Day Out marketing initiative.

"It was an awesome Kid's Day," said Milligan.  "The fans gave us great energy and it was an exciting atmosphere.  Our administration did a great job with the event."

Rider hosts Fairfield on Sunday at 2pm, the second of a season-high three-game home stand.

-RU-