Women's Basketball
Wednesday, March 8, 2023
Rider Broncs (10-20, 6-14 MAAC) vs. Niagara Purple Eagles (17-11, 16-4 MAAC)
Location: Atlantic City, NJ (Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall)
Tip: 3:30 p.m.
Live Stats: MAACSports.com
Broadcast: ESPN+
Live Audio: 107.7 TheBronc
Twitter: @RiderWBB
 
 
What You Need To Know
- Wednesday afternoon's game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
 
- Last time out, Amanda Mobley (Coopersburg, PA/Southern Lehigh) had a career-high 20 points as the Broncs opened the MAAC Tournament with a 63-50 win over Marist.
 
- The Broncs are the 10-seed in the MAAC Tournament for the eighth-time in program history. The Broncs are 2-7 in the MAAC Tournament as the 10-seed, winning 63-55 over Iona in 2001 and Tuesday's win over Marist. The Broncs are 1-3 all-time in the MAAC Tournament against Niagara, winning the most recent meeting in 2020, 79-74.
 
- Mobley currently leads the MAAC and ranks 12^th nationally at 6.2 assists per game. She set her career-high and Rider Division-I record with 13 assists against Manhattan.
 
- Rider went 1-1 at the MAAC/ASUN Challenge, defeating North Florida 76-67 before falling to Eastern Kentucky 85-64. Firebaugh averaged 21.0 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 55.0% from behind the arc to earn MAAC Player of the Week honors.
 
- At the MAAC/ASUN Challenge, Maya Hyacienth (Nottingham, United Kingdom/City of London Academy) drained six threes across the pair of games. She has 12 triples on the season.
 
- Rider was picked to finish tied for sixth in the MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Broncs return four starters and all but three members of last year's team.
 
- Makayla Firebaugh (Winchester, VA/James Wood) was named Preseason Third-Team All-MAAC. The 2020-21 MAAC Co-Rookie of the Year averaged 11.0 points and 4.4 rebounds per game last season. Against Marist in the regular season finale, Firebaugh became the 24^th player in program history to score 1,000 career points.
 
- Rider is one of just nine teams in Division I without a true freshman on the roster. They just faced one of the other nine teams at the MAAC/ASUN Challenge when the Broncs battled Eastern Kentucky. The remaining seven teams are Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, CSUN, Gonzaga, Green Bay, Norfolk St, and Valpo. The Broncs are one of just five teams that returns 12 or more players from last season's roster, joining Columbia, Western Michigan, Liberty, and Weber State.
 
- Rider has made the MAAC Semifinals in five of the last six seasons. The Broncs were named MAAC Champions for 2019-20 for the first time in program history.
 
- Raphaela Toussaint (Kingston, Ontario/Lincoln Prep) led the Broncs with five double-doubles last season. She earned her first double-double of the season against North Florida with 13 points and 13 rebounds. She got her team-leading sixth double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds against Mount St. Mary's.
 
- Nearly two-thirds of Jessika Schiffer's (Iserlohn, Germany/Deutschhaus Gymnasium Würzburg) shots last season (179-277) came from three-point range. 173 of her 248 shots this season have come from deep. Schiffer scored a season-high 19 points against Lehigh.
 
- ToniRenee Blanford (Montclair, NJ/The Patrick School[Union College]) scored a season-high 11 points and added a season-high eight rebounds at Seton Hall.
 
- Niagara leads the all-time series 30-27 by virtue of winning the last three meetings. In the most recent meeting, Raphaela Toussaint set a then career-high with 21 points to go along with nine rebounds in the setback.
 
- The Purple Eagles finished as the two-seed after a 16-4 mark in conference during the regular season. The Purple Eagles play pressure defense at all times, leading the nation in steals per game and turnover margin.