NEW ROCHELLE, NY – Junior Stella Johnson (Denville, NJ/Morris Catholic) continued her torrid start to the calendar year with a game-high 29 points to lead the visiting Rider University women's basketball team past Iona, 66-58, on Wednesday evening in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) action at the Hynes Center.

The Broncs (8-7, 4-0 MAAC) won their third straight road contest in league play, while the Gaels (1-15, 0-5 MAAC) dropped their 12th game in a row.

Johnson scored 20 or her points in the first half as Rider erased an early deficit to take a one-point edge at 28-27 into halftime.

The Bronc lead would balloon to as many as 18 points in the fourth quarter following a three-pointer from junior Tracey Goodman (Lansdale, PA/Phil-Mont Christian Academy). The Gaels would battle back and pull to within two with just over two minutes left.

Clinging to the lead, Johnson knocked down a triple to extend the Rider advantage to five at 62-57 with 1:59 left in the contest. On the ensuing defensive possession, Johnson took a charge in the post.

Following that play, the Broncs outscored the Gaels, 4-1, down the stretch to escape with the win.

Senior point guard Lexi Posset (Pittsburgh, PA/Beaver Area) was the other Bronc in double figures. In arguably her strongest game of the season, Posset scored 17 points on 5-of-8 shooting to go along with three assists and a pair of steals.  

NOTES & QUOTES
"I thought we stayed composed when they started to press us and we got some easy looks off that which helped us out. Iona ran some really good sets against us today, I think they ran their offense well. We stuck together and made our free throws at the end. A road win in the MAAC is big and important and we'll take it." – Rider Head Coach Lynn Milligan

"I think we're a gritty team. I don't think we've played our best basketball yet, which is a good thing. Our number one key when we're on the road is defensive discipline. We had some lapses tonight, but when we needed to get big stops we did." – Milligan

- Rider has now won five straight games against the Gaels.
- Rider is 4-0 in MAAC play for the first time under Head Coach Lynn Milligan and the first time in program history.
- The Broncs committed 13 turnovers and forced 18 Gael miscues. Rider is a 6-0 on the year and 3-0 in MAAC play when they commit fewer turnovers than their opponents.
- Rider had six blocked shots in the game. The Broncs lead the MAAC in blocks per game this season. It was the team's sixth game with five or more blocks this year.

BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- Stella was 10-of-15 from the field, including 5-of-7 from three-point range. Stella has hit four or more three-pointers in a game four times this season. She also added seven rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block.
- Posset scored in double figures for the fourth time this season. She was also 6-of-9 at the foul line. Posset has hit six or more free throws in two of the team's last four games.
- In the post, Aubre Johnson tied a career-high with two blocks. It was her second game in a row with two blocks.
- Off the bench, Daija Moses scored four points and dished out three assists for the Broncs.

UP NEXT
Rider returns home to the friendly confines of Alumni Gymnasium to host hOURglass rival Saint Peter's on Friday, January 18. Opening tip is slated for 7:00 pm as the Broncs are in search of their seventh straight win against the Peacocks.
 
 
http://www.espn.com/watch/_/id/3470899/rider-vs-iona
 
Ended half on a 7-0 run.