NEW ROCHELLE, NY – The Rider University women's basketball team ran into a sharp-shooting Iona team Thursday night, falling 90-62. The Broncs fall to 5-13 on the season, and 2-7 in league play. Iona maintains the top spot in the conference at 12-5 overall and 7-1 in MAAC play.
 
Both offenses were in rhythm in the opening quarter as the Broncs fell behind 10-2, but stayed in contact thanks to 7-for-11 shooting including a 3-for-3 performance from behind the arc by Makayla Firebaugh (Winchester, VA/James Wood), but the Gaels were 6-for-7 as a team from distance in the quarter and led 26-18 after one.
 
Leading 32-23 in the second, the Gaels pulled away with an 11-0 run that lasted just three minutes. Iona led 50-26 at the half.
 
The teams traded blows in the third quarter with the Broncs refusing to let Iona pull away, however the Gaels had a counter for every Rider bucket, failing to allow Rider a rally larger than four points. The Gaels beat the third quarter buzzer with a bucket to go up 73-45 after three.
 
Iona went on a 10-0 run to open the fourth, making it a 12-0 extended run. Rider countered with an 11-2 run, including five points by Raphaela Toussaint (Kingston, Ontario/Lincoln Prep), but the Gaels closed out the victory.
 
Quotes & Notes
"Obviously, Iona shot the ball terrific tonight. I think we could have done better defensively. We didn't get the stops we needed to get any momentum. We've got to take ownership of some of our principles that let us down tonight."
 
"We need to continue to grow and keep working on what has worked the last week or so. We've been a better defensive team, but that didn't show up tonight. We just need to have a short memory and bounce back on Saturday." – Head Coach Lynn Milligan
 
"We have to get defensive stops, but if they're just matching us shot for shot like that we just got to keep matching until they stop, but tonight they didn't stop."
 
"Coach always says, 'repetition breeds success', so I just trust my shot and release." – Junior Guard Makayla Firebaugh
 
- The Gaels take their seventh-straight over the Broncs, and now lead the all-time series 34-24.
- The 90 points are the most given up by the Broncs in a game since allowing 112 to Boston College in Nov. 2018 and the most allowed to a MAAC opponent since Quinnipiac scored 91 in Dec. 2016.
- Toussaint led the Broncs with 18 points, her 11^th game in double figures this season. Firebaugh scored 15 for her team leading 13^th game in double figures. Victoria Toomey (Dunmore, PA/Dunmore) added 10 to score in double figures for the seventh time this season.
- Iona set NCAA records for most consecutive three pointers made in a game with 15 and highest three-point field goal percentage in a game at 88.9%.

Broncs By The Numbers
- Rider shot 51.0% (25-49) from the field and 46.7% (7-15) from three. The Gaels shot 63.2% (36-57) from the floor, and the record 88.9% (16-18) from behind the arc.
- Iona held a 26-21 rebounding advantage, including an 11-9 edge on the offensive glass. Toomey had eight boards to pace Rider.
- The Broncs had 19 assists on their 25 made baskets led by four each from Toomey and Jessika Schiffer (Iserlohn, Germany/Deutschhaus Gymnasium Würzburg[Buffalo]).
- Iona had a 28-14 advantage in points off turnovers.
 
Up Next
- Rider welcomes defending MAAC Champions, Fairfield, to Alumni Gym Saturday for a 2 p.m. game.