Fairfield, CT – Three players scored in double figures as the Rider University women's basketball team knocked off Fairfield, 61-45, in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) action on Wednesday evening at Alumni Hall.

Sophomore guard Stella Johnson (Denville, NJ/Morris Catholic) poured in a game-high 19 points, while senior Kamila Hoskova (Brno, Czech Republic/Sportovni Gymnazium Ludvika Danka) recorded her second double-double of the season thanks to a 12-point, 10-rebound performance to guide the Broncs.

Rider (6-10, 3-2 MAAC) won their third game in a row, while the Stags (6-9, 3-1 MAAC) saw their three-game conference winning streak come to an end.

Rider never trailed in the first quarter, knocking down its first two shots from three-point range and forcing five turnovers during the opening 10 minutes. Hoskova knocked down a jumper from the elbow to close out the scoring in the frame as the Broncs led, 19-16, heading into the second.

Fairfield scored the first five points of the second quarter to take their first lead of the game at 21-19. The lead was also their last of the contest. The Broncs would answer with six of the final eight points in the half to take a 25-23 edge into the break. Hoskova scored all six Rider points in the second quarter thanks to knocking down a pair of jumpers and two free throws.

The two teams went back-and-forth to start the second half before the Broncs would use a 9-0 run to build a double-digit lead. In total, Rider closed the quarter on a 12-2 run over the final 6:34 of the frame capped by a trey from junior point guard Lexi Posset (Pittsburgh, PA/Beaver Area) to take a 44-33 advantage into the fourth.

Rider pulled away in the fourth quarter to pick up their second road conference win of the year.

Offensively, Johnson knocked down 5-of-12 from the field to go along with six rebounds to pace the Rider attack. Hoskova knocked down 4-of-8 from the field and the free-throw line, while Posset was the other Bronc in double figures with 16 points.  

NOTES & QUOTES
"Defensively, tonight we were excellent. Defense wins. Fairfield is an outstanding team that is really well coached. They have some good post players and guards that can knock down the three. Fairfield is a tough scout because of everything they run. We spread the ball around, did enough offensively and made enough shots to get a really good road win." – Rider Head Coach Lynn Milligan

"Lexi and I are building that coach-point guard rapport. I'm tough on my point guards. She's becoming a thinker out there and coaching point guard. Knowing what to say to her teammates and being aware to what's going on around her." Milligan on junior point guard Lexi Posset   

-  The win was the second straight for Rider against Fairfield after topping the Stags, 49-36, in the MAAC Tournament Semifinals a year ago.
- The victory was the first for Rider at Fairfield since January of 2013.
- The win snapped an eight-game regular-season losing streak for the Broncs against the Stags. Fairfield had swept the regular-season series in each of the last four years.
- The Broncs are now 5-0 when holding opponents under 60 points this season.
- The two teams combined to score just 13 points in the second quarter.
- Rider held Fairfield without a made FG for the final seven minutes of the third quarter. In total, the Broncs held the Stags to 17 percent (3-of-17) in the third.
- Rider made nine free throws in the fourth quarter for the second game in a row.

BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- Hoskova also added two steals and a career-high two blocks. The double-double was the fifth of her career.
- Posset has now scored in double figures in four straight games. On Monday, she was tabbed as the College Sports Madness MAAC Player of the Week. She hit 5-of-11 from the field, including a pair of three-pointers. She also dished out four assists.
- Johnson hit 6-of-8 from the free-throw line. She also had two blocks and three steals. It was her ninth game with three or more steals this season.
- Lexi Stover scored five points and grabbed a career-high five rebounds.
- Off the bench, Lea Favre added seven points thanks to hitting 5-of-7 from the charity stripe.

UP NEXT
Rider returns to action on Martin Luther King JR Day, Monday, January 15, returning to the Constitution State to square off with defending MAAC Champion Quinnipiac at 6:00 pm inside the TD Bank Sports Center. The Bobcats swept the regular-season series with the Broncs last season. Monday's tilt, a rematch of last year's MAAC Championship, will feature live stats as well as audio and video feeds. For the links visit the women's basketball schedule page on GoBroncs.com.