2017-18 Rider University Women's Basketball
GAME 5: Saturday, November 25, 2017
Rider Broncs (0-4, 0-0 MAAC) vs. Seton Hall Pirates (2-1, 0-0 Big East)
Location: South Orange, NJ – Walsh Gymnasium (1,655)
Tip: 12:00 pm
Live Video: Pirate Sports Network
Live Stats: SideArm Stats
Twitter: @RiderWBB & @RiderAthletics
Listen: 107.7 The Bronc
Game Notes: SHU Thanksgiving Classic Notes

What You Need to Know
- Rider returns to action on Saturday, November 25, traveling to South Orange, New Jersey to take part in the two-day SHU Thanksgiving Classic hosted by Seton Hall. The Broncs will open the four-team tourney on Saturday versus the host Pirates at noon. Rider concludes the event by facing either East Carolina or Jacksonville State on Sunday at noon. Both games are at Walsh Gymnasium.

- Seton Hall is 2-1 this season entering the weekend. After two double-digit victories to start the year, the Pirates fell to Princeton, 85-83, last time out. SHU is playing a MAAC team for the second time this season after racing past Saint Peter's, 91-49, in their first game of the year. The Pirates have two players averaging in double figures led by graduate transfer Donnaizha Fountain with over 20 points per game. Fountain is nearly averaging a double-double, pulling down over nine rebounds per contest. Sophomore forward Taylor Brown is the other Pirate averaging double figures with over 12 points per game. The high-scoring SHU attack is averaging over 80 points per game and 11 assists per tilt. The team is forcing 25 turnovers per game and they currently have a +13 turnover margin per game.

- Seton Hall and Rider are playing for the 11th time in the series history. The Pirates have won all 10 meetings. Last season, SHU topped the Broncs, 89-81, in South Orange. Rider erased an 11-point halftime deficit last year to tie the game after three quarters. In the fourth, the Pirates outscored the Broncs, 27-19, to secure the victory.

- The 2017 Seton Hall Thanksgiving Classic returns to Walsh Gym on Nov. 25 and Nov. 26, with Rider, East Carolina and Jacksonville State participating in the four-team tournament. Rider and Seton Hall kick things off at noon on Saturday followed by ECU and JSU. Rider will play again at noon on Sunday with the Pirates closing things out at 2:30.

- East Carolina begins the weekend with a 1-3 record after suffering a 71-65 setback in overtime versus William & Mary on Tuesday evening. The Pirates have dropped three straight after topping USC Upstate in the season opener. All three of ECU's losses have been by decided by five points or fewer. In their last two games, East Carolina has lost halftime leads by being outscored in the third quarter. The Pirates have two players averaging in double figures thanks to both Raven Johnson and Mickayla Sanders pouring in over 11 points per tilt. As a team, ECU is shooting 34 percent from the field, including 25 percent from three-point range.

- Jacksonville State enters the weekend with a 3-1 record and coming off back-to-back double-digit wins. The lone loss this season for the Gamecocks came at Florida State. Senior guard Gretchen Morrison leads the JSU attack with over 17 points per game thanks to shooting an impressive 47.6 percent (20-of-42) from three point range. Off the bench, junior forward Rayven Pearson is nearly averaging a double-double with over nine points and 10 boards per contest. As a team, the Gamecocks are averaging over 17 assists per game. Last time out, Jacksonville State topped Rhode Island at home, 63-53, behind 28 points from Morrison. 

- Rider has never played East Carolina or Jacksonville State. The Broncs game on Sunday will be their first against either team.

- Sophomore guard Stella Johnson recorded her first career double-double versus Lafayette on Tuesday. She scored 12 points on 4-of-11 shooting from the field and she also knocked down all four of her free throw attempts. Johnson also pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds to go along with three steals and one assist. It was her second game this year with three or more steals.

- Rider hit just three of 18 attempts from three-point range in Tuesday's setback against Lafayette. Sophomore Lexi Stover was 1-of-3 from distance, while the rest of the team was just 2-of-15. On the season, the Broncs are shooting just 21.3 percent from beyond the arc.