Women's College Basketball
Quinnipiac University 64, Rider University 51
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Game

HAMDEN, Conn.—Despite a career-high 13 points from junior Taylor Wentzel (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin), the Rider University women's basketball team lost 64-51 at defending Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference champion Quinnipiac University on Wednesday night.

Trailing 6-3, Rider (3-10, 0-4 MAAC) scored seven straight points, three points by Wentzel as the Broncs took a 10-6 lead with 5:51 left in the first quarter.  Wentzel opened the game hitting back to back three pointers after coming into the contest 1-22 from long distance this season.

Sophomore Kamila Hoskova (Czech Republic) scored on a jumper to give the Broncs a 14-10 lead with 2:46 left in the first quarter before the Bobcats ended the opening 10 minutes with four straight points.

“I thought Kam and Taylor put some points on the board for us,” said head coach Lynn Milligan.  “We need that spot scoring for us on the floor.  Especially for Taylor, she scored in a couple of different ways and no one is working harder than she is to get her shot back.”

Hoskova finished with 12 points, five rebounds and two steals in 28 minutes of play.

Two free throws from junior Julia Duggan (Marmora/Ocean City) cut the Bronc deficit to 17-16, 53 seconds into the second quarter.

Duggan finished with those two points and added eight rebounds.

Leading 17-16, Quinnipiac (6-7, 1-3 MAAC) responded with an 11-0 run as the Bobcats pushed the Rider deficit to 28-16 with 3:43 left in the opening half. 

“We had a couple breakdowns in the second quarter,” said Milligan.  “Quinnipiac made a couple of adjustments and we didn't stop them.”

Freshman Lexi Posset (Pittsburgh, Pa./Beaver Area) hit a three-pointer to cut the Quinnipiac lead to 28-19 and a three-pointer by Wentzel put the score at 31-22 with 1:43 before the break.  The Bobcats led 33-22 at intermission.

Posset had four points and added five assists in 20 minutes off the bench.

Quinnipiac out-scored Rider 17-5 to open the third quarter, opening up a 50-27 lead with 4:05 left in the period.

A jumper by junior Manon Pellet (Marseille, France) cut the Quinnipiac lead to 60-44 with 6:04 left and a three-point play from freshman Johnnah Johnson (Blackwood/The Hun School) made the final score 64-51. 

Pellet finished with seven points and three rebounds and her two assists move her to 12th all-time on the Bronc assist list with 277.

Also for the Broncs, sophomore C'quoya Haughton (Albany, N.Y./Stoneleigh Burnham Prep) had five points, eight rebounds, five on the offensive glass and she had both of Rider's blocks.

Rider out-rebounded Quinnipiac 37-35, including 15-9 on the offensive glass.

Quinnipiac out-shot Rider 49 percent (27-55) to 33 percent (18-55).

Quinnipiac now leads the all-time series 6-0 and the teams meet again in Lawrenceville on February 21.

The Broncs have lost five straight.

Rider travels to Siena on Friday night for a MAAC game at 7pm, the final contest of a six-game road swing.

-RU-