Women’s College Basketball: Niagara University 64, Rider University 59

LAWRENCEVILLE — The Rider University women’s basketball team had its three-game winning streak snapped with a 64-59 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference loss to Niagara University on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 2) in Alumni Gymnasium.

For the Broncs, senior Sironda Chambers (Wilmington, Del.) had 13 points and nine rebounds with freshman Mikal Johnson (Manassas, Va./Osbourn) adding 12 points in 21 minutes off the bench.

With Niagara (10-11, 5-5 MAAC) trailing 46-45, the Purple Eagles went on a 13-4 run, seven by Lauren Gatto as Niagara took a 58-50 lead with 1:31 left in the game.  Gatto finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds.

The game had 11 lead changes.

Chambers made a foul shot with 54.4 seconds left and after two Purple Eagle free throws, Chambers made a layup with 31.7 seconds remaining to bring Rider to within 60-56 but Niagara went four for four from the free throw line to ice the game.

Niagara made 23 free throws in the contest.

Also for the Purple Eagles, Kayla Stroman had 14 points and seven rebounds.

Trailing 42-39, Johnson hit a three-pointer and Chambers hit a jumper as Rider (10-11, 5-5 MAAC) took a 46-45 lead with 7:53 left in the game.  Johnson had four of Rider’s five three-pointers in the game.

Trailing 23-17, Rider took a 27-25 lead with 1:32 left in the opening half on a 10-2 run, five points by sophomore Emily Fazzini (Wayne, Pa./Archbishop Carroll).  Fazzini finished with five points in 23 minutes.

Niagara made two free throws in the final 1:08 of the opening half and the teams went into intermission tied at 27.

Rider opened the game shooting 3-15 (20 percent) from the field but ended the opening half shooting 5-11 (45 percent).  The Broncs shot 32 percent (19-60) for the game with Niagara shooting 34 percent (20-59).

Niagara out-rebounded the Broncs 45-41, 18-16 on the offensive glass.

Rider played the second half without senior Caitlin Bopp (Baltimore, Md./Inst. of Notre Dame) who was limited to 10 minutes due to the after effects of the flu.

Filling in for Bopp, graduate student Carleigh Brown (Philadelphia, Pa./Nazareth Academy) had her second strong game in a row with 12 points (two off her career high) and she added five rebounds and two steals in 24 minutes.

Bronc leading scorer, junior MyNeshia McKenzie (Springfield, Pa./Springfield (Delco)) pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds but was held scoreless for only the four time in her 81-game career.  A preseason Second Team All-MAAC selection, McKenzie entered the contest averaging 14.3 points per game.

The Purple Eagles defeated Rider 62-58 on January 18 at the ‘Taps’ Gallagher Center to sweep the season series.  Niagara has won 21 of the 36 games in the series.

Rider hosts Fairfield at 5 p.m. on Thursday in a MAAC doubleheader with the Bronc men hoisting Niagara at 7:30 p.m.