HAMDEN, CT – Senior guard Stella Johnson (Denville, NJ/Morris Catholic) scored a game-high 29 points to lead the Rider University women's basketball team past host Quinnipiac, 68-62, on Thursday evening in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) action at the People's United Center.
 
The Broncs (20-4, 13-2 MAAC) scored their third road victory in a row, while the Bobcats (12-12, 9-6 MAAC) dropped their second straight home contest.
 
With 1:33 left in the first quarter, Stella knocked down a three-pointer from the wing to pick up her 2,000th career point.
 
After the early minutes, the Broncs never trailed. Rider stretched its lead to as many as 12 late in third quarter before the Bobcats came roaring back.
 
Quinnipiac went on an 8-0 run early in the fourth to tie game at 52. The Broncs responded with a 7-0 spurt of their own capped by a bucket from Stella with under three minutes to play.
 
The Bobcats would get no closer than five the rest of the way as the Broncs hit 9-of-11 free throws during the fourth quarter.
 
NOTES & QUOTES
"I thought it was a great second half. I think it was a physical game like it always is between us and Quinnipiac. They outmuscled us a little bit under the basket, but I think we responded and held our own. We executed some offense at the end of the game. It was a tough road win in February, which I'll take any day." – Rider Head Coach Lynn Milligan.
 
"When you're playing a road game against the defending champs in mid-February you need everybody to step up. Obviously, Stella is our leader. I think you saw that today, particularly early. She kept everyone balanced and calm when Quinnipiac made that run in the fourth quarter. Two thousand points is hard to quantify right now. It's a pretty amazing feat. It goes to her efficiency, how hard she works and how she is involved in everything we do." – Milligan on Stella Johnson
 
- Rider scored its second straight win over Quinnipiac to sweep the regular-season series with the Bobcats for the first time in program history.
- Rider had three players score in double figures. The team is now 17-0 when three of more players score in double digits this year.
- The Broncs held the Bobcats without a made three-pointer. It was the first time since 2010 that QU failed to knock down a three in a game.
- Rider shot over 80 percent (10-of-12) from the free-throw line.
- Rider has recorded 20 wins in a season for the second time in the last four years.
 
BRONCS BY THE NUMBERS
- Stella finished with 29 points on 11-of-20 shooting. It was her seventh game this season with 11 or more made field goals. No other player in the MAAC has more than two. She also added six rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block. She now ranks fifth in MAAC women's basketball history in scoring.
- Amanda Mobley had 14 points thanks to knocking down 5-of-6 from the free-throw line. She also dished out five assists.
- Lea Favre added 10 points and six rebounds for the Broncs. She has scored in double figures in 17 of her last 19 games.
- Amari Johnson finished eight points and six rebounds. She knocked down two big three-pointers in the third quarter to help the Broncs take a six-point lead into the final frame.
 
UP NEXT
Rider returns to action on Sunday, February 23, with a home MAAC contest against Iona that is slated to tip at 1:00 pm. The tilt is the team's annual National Girl's and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) game.