Women's Basketball
Wednesday, November 15, 2023 at 7:00 pm
Rider Broncs (1-1) vs. NJIT Highlanders (2-1)
Location: Newark, NJ (Joel & Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center (WEC))
Tip: 7:00 pm
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Stats: NJITHighlanders.com
Live Audio: 107.7 The Bronc
Twitter: @RiderWBB
 
What You Need To Know
- Wednesday's game will be streamed live on ESPN+ and the live radio broadcast will be available on 107.7 The Bronc.
 
- The Broncs opened the season with a 71-49 setback at Saint Joseph's before bouncing back to defeat Merrimack 61-47.
 
- Rider was picked to finish tenth in the MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Broncs return just two starters and only five members of last year's team.
 
- Makayla Firebaugh (Winchester, VA/James Wood) was named Preseason Second-Team All-MAAC. The 2020-21 MAAC Co-Rookie of the Year averaged 14.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game last season. She scored 42 points across two games at the MAAC/ASUN Dublin Challenge to earn MAAC Player of the Week honors last year. In Rider's win over Merrimack, Firebaugh scored a game-high 19 points.
 
- The Broncs finished last season 10-21 with a 6-14 MAAC mark. The Broncs defeated Marist in the opening round of the MAAC Tournament.
 
- Rider has made the MAAC Semifinals in five of the last seven seasons. The Broncs were named MAAC Champions for 2019-20 for the first time in program history.
 
- Nearly two-thirds of Jessika Schiffer's (Iserlohn, Germany/Deutschhaus Gymnasium Würzburg) shots at Rider (369-552) have come from three-point range. Her six made threes against Quinnipiac in 2021-22 are tied for the fifth-most in a game in program history.
 
- Sofie Bruintjes (Zwolle, The Netherlands/CTO Amsterdam) made her first two career starts in the MAAC Tournament last season. She responded with six points, six rebounds, and two blocks in the win over Marist.
 
- Molly Lynch (Sea Girt, NJ/Rutgers Prep) made her first start last season at Fairfield going two-for-two from behind the arc, and playing a career-high 32 minutes.
 
- Seven Broncs will made official debut for the Broncs against Saint Jospeh's. Transfers Sanaa Redmond (Philadelphia, PA/The Shipley School[Samford]), Jamia Blake (Rock Hill, SC/South Point[UNC Asheville]), Mariona Cos-Morales (Matadepera, Spain/Casper College), and Taylor Blunt (Delco, PA/The Peddie School[Detroit Mercy]), joined freshmen Aliya McIver (White Plains, NY/White Plains), Sam Richardson (Linden, NJ/St. Benedict's Prep), and Kaylan Deveney (Medford, NJ/Life Center Academy).
 
- Taylor Langan (Lake Hopatcong, NJ/Jefferson Township[Millersville/Colgate]) missed the season opener due to injury. Langan made up for lost time in her Rider debut against Merrimack, scoring 16 points, grabbing eight rebounds, and nabbing four steals.
 
- Deveney and Cos-Morales were the stars of the exhibition, scoring 17 and 14 to lead the Broncs in the victory. Cos-Morales also added six rebounds in the victory.
 
- Deveney made the start in her Rider debut Tuesday at Saint Joseph's, scoring seven points and grabbing a board in 21 minutes of action. Deveney is the first true freshman to start in her Rider debut since Stella Johnson earned the start to begin her career in 2016.
 
- Rider holds a 5-2 lead in the all-time series, but NJIT snapped a four-game Rider winning-streak in the series last season, winning the season-opener for both teams a year ago. The Broncs used a 12-0 fourth-quarter run to pull within striking distance, but could not complete the comeback. Amanda Mobley had 17 points and five assists in the game.
 
- NJIT returns a large majority of the team that defeated Rider, 68-60, in Alumni Gym last year.  Kenna Squier, Lyzi Litwinko, and Aria Myers combined for 48 of the Highlanders 68 in that contest. Alejandra Zuniga, who leads the Highlanders in scoring this year at 16.0 points per game played just one minute in last year's game. The Highlanders and the Broncs have both played Merrimack this season with NJIT winning 48-45, and Rider winning 61-47.