Women's Basketball
Game Nine
Monday, December 30, 2019 at 4:00 pm
Rider Broncs (6-2) at Delaware State Hornets (4-8)
Location: Dover, DE (Memorial Hall)
Tip: 4:00 pm
Live Stats: DSUHornets.com
Live Video: None
Twitter: @RiderWBB
Game Notes: Game Nine
 
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- All Rider home basketball games will air on ESPN+ or ESPN3, with the exception of the January 9th contest against Quinnipiac that will air on ESPNU.
 
- The Hornets enter Monday's contest with a 4-8 record after falling at Boston College, 109-69, on December 20. Delaware State has dropped three straight games and the team is 3-5 at home this season. The Hornets raced past Saint Peter's, 89-66, in their last home game. It is a two-headed attack for Delaware State with Sharajah Collins and Lyric Turner both averaging in double figures. Collins is pouring in over 13 points a game to go along with a team-best 19 steals, while Turner is scoring more than 12 per contest.
 
- Rider and Delaware State are playing for the first time since November of 2003. The Broncs have won all three meetings between the two teams.   
 
- Last time out, three Broncs scored in double figures as Rider raced past Wagner, 77-63, at home on December 18. The win was the third straight for the Broncs as Rider shot a season-best 50 percent (31-of-62) from the field. It marked the third straight game and the fourth time this year that the Broncs had three players score 10 or more points in a game. Rider is 4-0 when three players register in double figures. Amari Johnson had a game-high 24 points, while Stella Johnson added 18 points and Lea Favre chipped in 12 of her own.
 
- Amari Johnson recorded a double-double against Wagner thanks to a 24-point, 15-rebound performance. Rider is 3-1 when a player registers a double-double this year. Amari is the only Bronc with a double-double this year and she has a MAAC-leading four double-doubles in 2019-20. She now has nine career double-doubles.
 
- On Monday, December 23, Amari Johnson was named the MAAC Player of the Week. She became the second Bronc this season (Stella Johnson) to earn weekly distinction from the MAAC. It marked the first time this year and the first time in her career that she has garnered weekly accolades from the league office.
 
- With the victory over Georgetown, Rider is now 2-0 against teams from the BIG EAST this season. Rider beat Xavier at home on November 16. The Broncs also have a victory over Penn State this season to make them 3-0 versus high-major opponents in 2019-20.
 
- Since joining the starting lineup against La Salle, Lea Favre has been on a tear for the Broncs. Over her last three games, she is averaging 12 points, three rebounds and two assists per game. Favre is shooting an impressive 62.1 percent (18-of-29) from the field over her last three games.
 
- Rider had its strongest defensive effort of the season versus the La Salle. The Broncs held the Explorers to just made eight made field goals and 16 percent shooting, while forcing 18 Explorer turnovers. Rider has forced 18 or more turnovers from its opponents in four straight games. The eight made field goals are the fewest allowed in a game under Head Coach Lynn Milligan and the 16 percent was the lowest the Broncs have held an opponent shooting under Milligan as well.
 
- Rider shot a season-high 50 percent (31-of-62) from the field in the win over Wagner last time out. The Broncs hit 67.8 percent (19-of-28) of their shots over the final 20 minutes against the Seahawks to pull away. It was the best field-goal percentage for the team since Rider hit over 56 percent of its shots in a win over Saint Peter's last February. As a team, Rider is shooting over 41 percent from the field this season.
 
- Rider had seven blocks in the win over La Salle on December 7. It was the second game this season in which the Broncs had seven or more blocked shots. As a team, Rider leads the MAAC with 34 total blocks and 4.3 blocks per game. Amari Johnson tied a career-high with four blocks against La Salle. Last time out against Wagner, she swatted two shots. She currently leads the MAAC with 13 total blocks and 1.6 blocks per game. In 40 games with the Broncs, Amari has recorded two or more blocks in a game 11 times.
 
- On Tuesday, November 26, Stella Johnson was named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) Ann Meyers Drysdale Women's National Player of the Week. It marked the first time in program history that a Bronc was named the USBWA National Player of the Week and also the first time a player from the MAAC picked up the weekly accolade as well. Stella is one of just two active players in all of Division I, along with Princeton's Bella Alarie, to be have earned both USBWA National Player of the Week and USBWA National Freshman of the Week honors in their careers.
 
- Senior guard Stella Johnson set a single-game program record with 41 points in the victory over Lipscomb on November 22. The previous record for points in game by a Bronc was 37 by both MyNeshia McKenzie and Nancy Carroll. Stella scored 18 of her points during the fourth quarter yesterday. She hit 17-of-18 free-throw attempts. Stella also grabbed a season-high eight rebounds to go along with three steals, two blocks and two assists. She was the first player in the MAAC to score over 40 points since Victoria Rampado had 41 against Siena in January of 2018.
 
- Stella Johnson became the first player in program history to earn MAAC Preseason Player of the Year honors. Stella was also a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-MAAC First Team. Two other Broncs picked up preseason accolades as senior Amari Johnson landed on the Preseason All-MAAC Second Team and classmate Lea Favre earned Preseason All-MAAC Third Team distinction.  
 
- Senior Stella Johnson was named to the Women's Citizen Naismith Trophy Watch List as announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club on November 6th. Johnson is one of 50 players in the nation and just two players from mid-major programs to earn a spot on the list. In late October, Johnson was also named one of 20 watch-list candidates for the 2020 Nancy Lieberman Award as announced by The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). She was also named to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Watch List by the USBWA on December 5.
 
- Following the 64-57 win over Xavier on November 16, Rider moved into CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top-25 Poll. The Broncs are currently ranked 20th in the poll. Rider is ranked in the poll for the first time since during the program's historic 2016-17 season. The 20th ranking is the highest-ever for Rider in the poll.