Women's College Basketball
Marist College 65, Rider University 56
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Game

LAWRENCEVILLE—The Rider University women's basketball team gave 10-time Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference champion Marist College all it could handle before losing to the Red Foxes 65-56 on Saturday afternoon in Alumni Gymnasium.

For Rider (11-19, 8-12 MAAC), senior Lashay Banks (Philadelphia, Pa./Prep Charter) had 12 points, six rebounds and three steals in 29 minutes of play.

For Marist (19-10, 15-5 MAAC), Madeline Blais had 28 points, five rebounds and three steals.

“We are disappointed with the outcome,” said head coach Lynn Milligan.  “We obviously got off to a great start.”

Rider led 38-29 before Marist used a 10-0 run to take its first lead of the game, 39-38 with 11:30 left in the game.

Tied 44-44, the Red Foxes scored eight straight points to make the score 52-44 before the Broncs cut the deficit down to three at the 4:21 mark with senor Marritta Gillcrease (Pittsburgh, Pa./Perry Traditional) scoring five straight points.

Gillcrease had nine points, nine rebounds and two blocks in 24 minutes of play.

“We know if we see Marist again in the playoffs, we know what we have to do to get to that next level,” Gillcrease said.  “They've won championships.”

Marist responded with a 13-5 run in the final four minutes to put the game away as the Red Foxes made six free throws down the stretch.

Riding the emotions of senior day, Bronc senior Kornelija Valiuskyte (Siauliai, Lithuania) scored 10 points, all in the first 3:49 of the contest as the Broncs sprinted out to a 14-3 lead.

Making her first start of the season, Valiuskyte added four rebounds, a steal and an assist in 29 minutes of play.

After Marist got to within 17-11, Rider responded with a 7-0 run, five points by sophomore Robin Perkins (Willingboro/Trenton Catholic), giving the Broncs a 24-11 lead with 9:38 remaining in the opening half.

“We defended very well in the opening half,” Milligan said.  “We felt that we scored enough to win the game but we gave up too many in the second half.  Blais got some good open looks for them.”

Perkins finished with seven points, four rebounds and two assists in 19 minutes of play.

Leading 26-17, Rider scored six straight points, four of the points by sophomore Taylor Wentzel (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin), giving the Broncs their largest lead of the game, 32-17 with 3:41 remaining in the opening period.

Marist used a 6-0 run to cut the deficit to 32-23 at intermission.

Also for the Broncs, senior Emily Fazzini (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) had eight points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals in 24 minutes of play.

Each team made 20 field goals with Marist out-shooting Rider 41 percent to 32 percent.

Rider was 11-12 from the free throw line compared to 21-30 for the Red Foxes.

Marist, the second seed in the upcoming MAAC championship tournament is now 40-13 all-time against Rider and the Red Foxes have won 25 straight in the series.  Marist defeated Rider 60-46 in Poughkeepsie, New York on December 7, 2014.

After winning four straight and eight of 11 games, Rider has lost three in a row.

Rider will play in either the 9:30am game or the 11:30am game on Thursday, March 5 against an opponent to be determined in Albany, New York.

The playoffs run from March 5-9 at the Times Union Center.

If Monmouth University loses on Sunday to Quinnipiac University (19-0 MAAC), Rider will earn the seven seed and will face #10 Saint Peter's University at 11:30am on March 5.  If the Hawks pull off the upset, the Broncs will play Canisius College in the 8/9 game at 9:30am, also on March 5.  The Broncs split two games with the Peacocks and swept Canisius this season

“Everyone is 0-0 heading to the playoffs,” Milligan said.  “The teams that are prepared and that defend will be the ones successful.  We did a good job last year and hope to do that again.”

Rider advanced to the MAAC semifinals for the first time ever after winning games against Saint Peter's University and Fairfield University before losing to Marist by 11.

“The four young ladies committed to us when things were uncertain in the program,” Milligan added about her four seniors.  “They are a big part of the culture change and it is obvious that we are better for having Kornelija, Lashay, Marritta and Emily as part of the program.”

“I like the mentality of the team,” Gillcrease added about the playoffs and Rider's recent run (8-6 MAAC) after beginning conference play 0-6.  “We know what it takes to bring it to another level and to correct some of our mistakes.”

-RU-