LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Despite a career-high 31 points from Makayla Firebaugh (Winchester, VA/James Wood) the Rider University women's basketball team suffered a heartbreaking, 75-74 loss to Niagara Tuesday night in Alumni Gym. The Broncs fall to 5-11 overall and 3-4 in MAAC play. The Purple Eagles improve to 6-8 on the season and even their conference record at 3-3.
 
Trailing 74-71, Rider fouled Ally Haar, sending her to the line for a pair of free throws with 12 seconds remaining. She made the first and missed the second, but the ball went out of bounds off Rider giving Niagara a second life and Maddy Yelle made a layup and was fouled. Yelle hit the free throw to give the Purple Eagles the lead with five seconds remaining, and Firebaugh's shot at the buzzer could not connect.
 
Both teams ran through a hectic first quarter that saw the teams combine for four ties, 37 shot attempts, and 16 turnovers. Leading 15-14, Rider closed out the quarter on a 5-0 run, capped by a great back-door pass from Victoria Toomey (Dunmore, PA/Dunmore) to Firebaugh for an easy layup.
 
Jessika Schiffer (Iserlohn, Germany/Deutschhaus Gymnasium Würzburg [Buffalo]) continued the run to open the second, draining a step-back three that extended the Rider lead to 23-14. Up 23-18, Rider went on an 11-0 run, getting field goals by five different players to take their largest lead of the game. The Purple Eagles fought back and cut the Rider lead to 39-32 going into the half.
 
Neither side could sustain a run in the third as Niagara slowly pulled to within three. Leading 58-55, Firebaugh scored an old-fashioned three-point play, then Schiffer connected from long range to put Rider up 64-55 entering the fourth.
 
Niagara came out firing in the fourth, opening the quarter on a 7-0 run to cut the lead to two. Leading 69-67, Rider scored back-to-back buckets to go up six, but the Purple Eagles outscored the Broncs 8-1 over the final 1:08 including the final sequence.
 
Quotes & Notes
 
"Just a disappointing loss on your home floor. We just didn't finish."
 
"All we do is grow from it. We needed a stop and a rebound and we didn't get the job done. We gave them too many opportunities."
 
"We're a team that has to have all five pieces clicking. We're a team that is the sum of its parts, and when all five people are clicking we're capable of being a very good defensive team." – Head Coach Lynn Milligan
 
"It's frustrating. We know we have to do better, especially at the end of games."
 
"I'd rather win, and if scoring contributes to that, then that's what I want to do. I just played my game tonight, and it was coming to me." – Sophomore guard Makayla Firebaugh.
 
"We're a good team, just knowing what we can do and just rely on each other." – Sophomore forward Raphaela Toussaint
 
- Niagara again reclaims the all-time series lead at 28-27. The teams split the season series after Rider won at Niagara on Saturday.
- Today's game was the first for the Broncs against the same opponent as their previous contest at separate locations since the 2002-03 season, where they played a home-and-home against Loyola (MD).
- Firebaugh becomes just the 15^th different player in program history to reach the mark, after teammate Lenaejha Evans (Conway, SC/Conway) hit the mark last game.
- Raphaela Toussaint (Kingston, Ontario/Lincoln Prep) had her fourth double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
- Anna Ekerstedt (Varberg, Sweden/Marks Gymnasiekola[Broward College]) had a career-high eight rebounds and six blocks.
- Evans posted career-highs in steals (5) and assists (4).
- Schiffer tied a career-high with seven assists.

Broncs By The Numbers
- Rider shot 40.9% (27-66) from the field, and hit an identical 40.9% (9-22) from three. Niagara shot just 32.1% (26-81) from the field, and 13.0% (3-23) from deep.
- The Broncs had 19 assists on their 27 made baskets, led by Schiffer's seven.
- Rider was outrebounded by the Purple Eagles 48-44, but Niagara held a 25-14 advantage on the offense glass.
- Schiffer also finished in double figures with 12.
- Niagara led for a total of 19 seconds.
 
Up Next
- Rider remains at home for a Thursday-night contest against Siena. The Broncs topped the Saints 59-43 in the first meeting this season on Dec. 20.