Women's Basketball
Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 7:00 pm
Rider Broncs (5-11, 2-5 MAAC) vs. Niagara Purple Eagles (7-11, 4-4 MAAC)
Location: Lawrenceville, NJ (Alumni Gym)
Tip: 7:00 pm
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Audio: 107.7 TheBronc
Live Stats: GoBroncs.com
Twitter: @RiderWBB
 
What You Need To Know
- Thursday's game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
 
- The Broncs were defeated last time out, 60-53, against Mount St. Mary's. The Broncs tied the game, 39-39, at the end of the third quarter, but were outscored 21-14 over the final ten minutes.
 
- Taylor Langan (Lake Hopatcong, NJ/Jefferson Township[Millersville/Colgate]) lead the Broncs to victory over Iona with 25 points and 18 rebounds. The 18 rebounds are the second-most in a game by a MAAC player this season. combined with 26 points from Makayla Firebaugh (Winchester, VA/James Wood) the duo was the first Bronc pair to score 20+ in a game since Lenaejha Evans (30) and Raphaela Toussaint (23) at Niagara in January 2022 and the first Rider duo to score 25+ in a contest since Stella Johnson (35) and Amari Johnson (28) against Mount St. Mary's in November 2018. Langan ranks third in the MAAC in scoring at 14.9 points per game this season and second in the MAAC at 8.7 rebounds per contest.
 
- Firebaugh 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.
 
- Firebaugh scored a then season-high 23 points after starting 4-for-4 from distance against FDU, scoring 12 points in the opening quarter. Her six made threes in the game tied a career high and moved her past Stella Johnson into fifth on Rider's career three-pointers made list. Against Siena, Firebaugh broke a tie with Iris Beistline for 10th on the program's career scoring list.
 
- 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.
 
- 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.
 
- Over two-thirds of Jessika Schiffer's (Iserlohn, Germany/Deutschhaus Gymnasium Würzburg) shots at Rider (436-648) 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. Against Mount St. Mary's, she made a pair of threes to move past Kathleen Kearon for eighth on the program's career three-pointers made list.
 
- 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. In Rider's win over BU, Bruintjes hit a go-ahead three-pointer with 3.3 seconds remaining.
 
- Molly Lynch (Sea Girt, NJ/Rutgers Prep) has played some of the best games of her career when the Broncs take on Niagara, scoring a career-high nine points and adding a career-high seven assists in a game in 2021-22. Lynch's season high last year came when she scored seven points, once again against the Purple Eagles. Lynch scored a season-high eight points last time out, knocking down all three of her shots, including two three pointers.
 
- Kaylan Deveney (Medford, NJ/Life Center Academy) made the start in her Rider debut 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. The freshman set a career-high with 14 points against Canisius.
 
- Sanaa Redmond (Philadelphia, PA/The Shipley School[Samford]) leads the Broncs at 2.7 assists per game and has led the Broncs in dimes in seven contests. Redmond has also valued ball security, holding a 1.3 assist to turnover ratio.
 
- The Broncs have been at their best when their defense has been on point. Rider is unbeaten this season when allowing under 60 points.
 
- Aliya McIver (White Plains, NY/White Plains) set career highs with six points and three steals against Siena. McIver was a perfect 2-for-2 from the field and added a pair of free throws in the effort.
 
- Niagara leads the all-time series 31-27 after the Purple Eagles topped Rider in three games last season. The Broncs nearly pulled off the upset in the MAAC Tournament, trailing by just a single point with just over a minute to play. Firebaugh led the Broncs with 27 points in the season finale for the Broncs.
 
- The Purple Eagles are 7-11 on the season and 4-4 in league play, and enter having lost three of their last four games. The Purple Eagles press is still one of the deadliest in the country, as Niagara ranks second in the country in both turnovers forced and steals. Preseason MAAC Player of the Year Aaliyah Parker is the lone Purple Eagle averaging double figures this season at 11.5 points per game.