BUFFALO, NY – Behind 17 points and a career-high nine rebounds from Lenaejha Evans (Conway, SC/Conway) the Rider University women's basketball team topped Canisius, 59-51, Thursday night. The Broncs move to 4-10 overall on the year and 2-3 in conference play. The Golden Griffins are now 2-11 overall and 0-4 in MAAC play.
 
The Broncs were out and running in the opening quarter, getting a pair of fast-break layups by Evans as part of 7-1 run to open the game. The Golden Griffins came back to tie the score, 9-9, before Makayla Firebaugh (Winchester, VA/James Wood) knocked down a triple that put Rider up 12-9 after one.
 
In the second, the sides swapped buckets early as Sofie Bruintjes (Zwolle, The Netherlands/CTO Amsterdam) scored on back-to-back Rider possessions to put Rider up 16-13, but Canisius answered with a 10-2 run. Rider ended the half with a three-pointer by Jessika Schiffer (Iserlohn, Germany/Deutschhaus Gymnasium Würzburg [Buffalo]) and an Evans layup to tie the score at 23 going into the break.
 
Up 27-26 early in the third, Rider went on a 10-2 run, capped by a transition three from Firebaugh. The Broncs maintained the advantage, leading 45-37 after three.
 
In the fourth, Rider opened the quarter on a 5-0 run with a quick layup by Evans and a three from Schiffer, extending the Bronc lead to 13, their largest of the game. Down 52-40, Canisius ramped up the defense to climb back into the game. The Griffs went on an 11-0 run over the next 6:03 to cut the Rider lead to just one. But the Broncs made enough free-throws and did not allow a point over the final 1:32 to secure the win.
 
Quotes & Notes
 
"We talked a lot over the past week about taking a lead, building that lead, and finishing. I think we accomplished all those goals today. It wasn't always a smooth path, but it very rarely ever is."
 
"I thought we were locked in our game plan. There wasn't a lull in 40 minutes. There were times we made mistakes and they made runs, but the effort was there the entire time."
 
"Lenaejha's rebound on the missed free throw was huge. You also saw Makayla in there getting rebounds as well. It took some pressure off our half-court offense to score like we did in transition tonight." – Head Coach Lynn Milligan
 
"We knew we needed to win tonight, and we came out with a different energy. Fourth quarter mentality from the start and really communicating with one another."
 
"The points don't matter, it's a team mentality, but at the end of the game I knew we needed to get the ball, and I just went and got it." – Senior guard Lenaejha Evans
 
"We know our roles on our team now. My teammates know my strengths and they put me on my strengths today."
 
"We get in our heads too often and focus on what the other team is doing, rather than focusing on what we do. We just need to play our game and not worry about what our opponents are doing." – Sophomore guard Makayla Firebaugh
 
- Canisius still leads the all-time series 33-16, but Rider had dominated the recent history winning their third straight and seventh of the last eight.
- Evans had four offensive boards on her way to her career-high nine boards.
- Evans scored 17 points to lead all scorers in the game. She had scored in double-figures in 12 games this season.
- Molly Lynch (Sea Girt, NJ/Rutgers Prep) tied a career-high, grabbing three rebounds for the third time in her career.

Broncs By The Numbers
- Rider shot 36.8% (21-57) from the field, and hit 31.6% (6-19) from three. Canisius was 31.1% (19-61) from the field, and 20.8% (5-24) from deep.
- The Broncs had 13 assists on their 21 made baskets, led by four from Schiffer.
- Rider was narrowly out-rebounded by the Golden Griffins 43-41, and Canisius held a 14-10 edge in offensive boards.
- In addition to Evans, Firebaugh scored 13 and Schiffer had 11.
- Victoria Toomey (Dunmore, PA/Dunmore) had seven points and seven rebounds off the bench.
 
Up Next
- Rider continues the western New York trip Saturday, beginning a home-and-home with the Purple Eagles at 2 p.m.