Women's Basketball
Thursday, January 23, 2025 at 11:00 am
Rider Broncs (3-13, 1-6 MAAC) vs. Iona Gaels (6-11, 4-3 MAAC)
Location: Hynes Athletic Center (New Rochelle, NY)
Tip: 11:00 am
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Audio: 107.7 The Bronc
Live Stats: IonaGaels.com
Twitter: @RiderWBB
 
What You Need To Know
- Thursday's game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
 
- Rider was dominant against Niagara, winning 79-59, before falling at Mount St. Mary's and against Marist. Gabby Turco (Wildwood, NJ/Wildwood Crest [Saint Anselm/La Salle]) scored a season-high 24 points against Niagara to go along with seven rebounds, leading Rider to their first conference win of the season. She followed up that effort with a team-high 18 points against the Mount and 13 against Marist.
 
- The Broncs were picked to finish ninth by the league's coaches in the preseason poll. The Broncs will have to deal with the loss of three starters from last year's team, including the loss of 62.8% of the team's scoring from a season ago.
 
- Against Stonehill, the Broncs trailed by as many as 11 points in the fourth quarter before storming back with a 12-0 run, eventually winning 65-53. The comeback win is one of just six contests in NCAA Division I that have seen double-digit point comebacks in the fourth quarter.
 
- The Broncs finished last season 10-21 with a 6-14 MAAC mark. The Broncs defeated Iona in the opening round of the MAAC Tournament.
 
- Rider has won at least one game in the MAAC Tournament in seven of the last eight seasons. The Broncs were named MAAC Champions for 2019-20 for the first time in program history.
 
- Aliya McIver (White Plains, NY/White Plains) did a little bit of everything against FDU, setting career-highs in points (9), rebounds (11), and assists (8). The sophomore had five points, six rebounds, and five assists in the second half that saw both teams score 31 points. McIver ranks in the top ten in the MAAC in both assists and assist to turnover ratio.
 
- Mariona Cos-Morales (Matadepera, Spain/IES Matadepara [Casper College]) tied a career-high with 14 points against LIU. The junior scored nine of her 14 in the fourth quarter. The now senior showed off her defense in the MAAC Tournament last year, with three blocks in the first-round win over Iona, then with a career-high five steals in the MAAC Quarterfinal against Iona.
 
- Kaylan Deveney (Medford, NJ/Life Center Academy) made the start in her Rider debut at Saint Joseph's last season, 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. She set a career-high with 15 points against BU.
 
- Sanaa Redmond (Philadelphia, PA/The Shipley School[Samford]) led the Broncs last season at 2.5 assists per game and led the Broncs in dimes in 12 of their contests. Redmond also valued ball security, with a 1.2 assist to turnover ratio. Redmond scored a season-high 13 points in the opening round of the MAAC Tournament last season against Iona.
 
- Seven Broncs made their official debut for the Broncs in the season opener against Navy. Transfers Emilee Tahata (Springfield, Australia/Woodcrest State College [La Salle]) and Turco joined freshmen Camryn Collins (Foxboro, MA/Foxboro), Amany Lopez (Springfield, MA/South Shore Christian Prep), Emmy Roach (Littlehampton, Australia/Heathfield), Jocelyn Chavez (Surprise, AZ/Valley Vista), and Winner Bartholomew (Abuja, Nigeria/Day Secondary School Birgi).
 
- Turco led the Broncs with 21 points in the season opener against Navy. She was joined in double figures by Collins. Turco has scored in double figures in 11 games this season. Turco has been nearly automatic at the free throw line, currently second in the MAAC and ranking ninth nationally at 92.9% from the charity stripe. This season is not an anomaly for the senior, who has knocked down 88.3% of her attempts at the line in her career. 
 
- Tahata had a career night against Bryant. The junior scored 12 of Rider's 15 points in the first six minutes of the contest on her way to career-highs in both points (16) and rebounds (7). Tahata previously set a career-high with five blocks against LIU.
 
- Bartholomew set season highs against Stonehill with 16 points, seven rebounds, and six steals. Her six boards previously against LIU helped the Broncs outrebound their opponent for the first time this season. The Broncs also outrebounded BU on the road trip.
 
- The Broncs had seven blocks against La Salle and are currently fourth in the MAAC at 3.3 blocks per game. Individually, Tahata is eighth in the MAAC at 0.8 blocks per contest.
 
- Collins has scored in double figures in five games this season to start her career. The Freshman ranks in the top 25 among all players in the MAAC in three-point percentage and three pointers made.
 
- Iona leads the all-time series 34-27, but the Broncs swept the season series, including a buzzer-beater on ESPNU by Taylor Langan to win in New Rochelle before a Rider victory in the opening round of the MAAC Tournament in Atlantic City.
 
- The Gaels are one of two teams in the MAAC this season without a player averaging over 10 points per game. The balanced scoring has Judith Gomez, Zoey Ward, and Ella Fajardo all averaging just over eight points per contest. Iona did struggle to a 2-8 non-conference mark, but have started MAAC play at 4-3.