Women's College Basketball
Rider's 16-17 Non-Conference Schedule

LAWRENCEVILLE—Home games against Lafayette, La Salle and St. Francis Brooklyn, away contests at Princeton, Lehigh, Towson and Seton Hall and a trip to Orlando, Florida for the UCF Thanksgiving Tournament highlight the 2016-17 non-conference schedule as announced by Rider University women's basketball coach Lynn Milligan.

“This year's schedule is again a challenging one meant to prepare our team for the rigors of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference,” said Milligan who is beginning her 10th season.  “We feel that we will face many different styles of play from different conferences that will do just that.”

Rider opens the season with an exhibition game on November 6 at noon against the College of New Jersey.

“We are excited to play a home exhibition this season,” said Milligan.  “It is something that we have not done in a few years and to be able to have TCNJ come over will give the game a great local following.”

The Broncs open the regular season with the shortest but maybe one of the toughest road games of the season, traveling Route 1 to Mercer County rival Princeton University.  Rider takes on the regionally acclaimed Tigers on November 11 for a 7pm tip at Jadwin Gymnasium. 

“Opening the season at Princeton is a great challenge for us and is a local rivalry that will showcase great New Jersey women's college basketball to the community,” Milligan said.

Last season, All-MAAC Second Team honoree Robin Perkins scored 13 points as Rider matched the Tigers point for point in the third and four quarters of the eventual 19-point loss.  Princeton finished 23-6 and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Championship Tournament, losing at West Virginia in the opening round.

The regular season home opener will be on November 14 when the Broncs host Lafayette College at 7pm and the Broncs follow that contest with a November 17 home date against the Explorers from La Salle University, also at 7pm. 

“We are excited to be able to have a great Patriot League team in Lafayette and an Atlantic 10 team in La Salle come to Alumni Gym for our first two home games,” said Milligan.

Rider and Lafayette last met during the 2014-15 season in Lawrenceville with the Leopards winning by 18 despite 13 points from Julia Duggan.  Rider and La Salle last met during the 2009-10 season.

Speaking of the 2009-10 campaign, for the first time since that season's trip Fort Myers, Rider will require airline transportation when the Broncs travel to Orlando, Florida November 26-27 to compete in the UCF Thanksgiving Tournament, hosted by Central Florida.  Rider will play St. Bonaventure and the host Knights.

“The Florida trip will be yet another challenge for our team,” Milligan said.  “We are excited to be able to take this team on a Thanksgiving trip where we can spend some quality time together.  We hope that trip will prepare us for our first two conference games in Buffalo the following weekend.”

Rider's first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference competition will take place when the Broncs travel to Buffalo, New York for the annual Western, New York games against Niagara University and Canisius College December 1-4.

“We will be road tested early going from the sun of Florida to the possible snow of Buffalo in a matter of a week,” Milligan added.

The Broncs continue their road swing with games at Lehigh University on December 8 and travel to Maryland to take on Towson University on December 11.  Behind 24 points from Perkins, the Broncs won an overtime thriller against the Mountain Hawks 61-60 last season as the Bronc defense held Lehigh to only one point during the overtime session.  Rider and Towson last met in the 2015-16 season opener when the Broncs won 78-72 with Perkins scoring 18 points and Duggan pulling down 10 rebounds.  Duggan enters the season 14th on Rider's all-time rebounding list with 552.

Rider finally returns to New Jersey but it will be for another road contest, traveling to Seton Hall on December 18 and the Broncs complete the nine-game non-conference slate with a home game against St. Francis Brooklyn on December 21 at 7pm.  Rider and Seton Hall opened the 2014-15 season in South Orange, participating in the Preseason WNIT and Rider's last game against the Terriers was a successful one as the Broncs moved to 2-0 during the 2015-16 season with a 71-59 victory, led by 20 points from Perkins, one of four Bronc players in double digits.

“Road games at Lehigh, Towson and Seton Hall and our last non-conference home game with St. Francis allow us to play different teams from strong conferences to continue to aid us in our preparation for MAAC play,” said Milligan.

The balance of the 18 remaining conference games will take place in January and February.

The complete 20 game MAAC schedule will be released in September.

The MAAC Championships will again be in Albany, New York, hosted by the Times Union Center March 2-6.

BroncVision, Rider's live and on-demand HD video streaming, will be available for all non-televised home games via GoBroncs.com.

The audio of all games, both home and away, will be available on 107.7 FM The Bronc and streamed live on 1077thebronc.com via links provided on GoBroncs.com.

GameViewer (LiveStats) will also be available, free of charge via links on GoBroncs.com for all home games and most away contests and live tweets will be sent out which you can follow via twitter @RiderAthletics.

Rider returns nine letterwinners from a squad that lost in the opening round of the 2016 MAAC playoffs in overtime.

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HOME GAMES IN BOLD CAPS, (Alumni Gym, Lawrenceville, NJ)