Women’s College Basketball: Rider University 72, Siena College 52

LAWRENCEVILLE – The Rider University women’s Basketball team defeated Siena College 72-52 Friday night (March 1) in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game in Alumni Gymnasium. The win marked Rider’s first-ever season sweep of the Saints.

Rider (15-13, 10-7 MAAC) opened the final home stand of the season with a win, their fourth win in their last five games to move into fourth place in the MAAC with one game remaining.  The Broncs had three players in double-figures en route to the 20-point win, led by junior MyNeshia McKenzie (Springfield, Pa./Springfield (Delco)) who finished with 21 points, two off her career-high.

McKenzie finished with 11 rebounds for her 24th career ‘double-double’ and 12th of the season.

The Broncs opened the game on a 12-3 run, six points by senior Sironda Chambers (Wilmington, Del.).  Chambers finished with 14 points, two assists and two steals.

The Bronc defense held Siena to one of 16 shooting over the first 10 minutes to take the early lead.

Rider used an 11-5 run over the final 3:12 of the first half, four points by McKenzie, to take a 33-23 lead into the intermission.  

Leading 37-27, Rider used a 10-3 run, nine points by sophomore Emily Fazzini (Wayne, Pa./Archbishop Carroll), to take a 47-30 lead with 11:49 remaining in the game.  Fazzini finished with 14 points, making four three-pointers.

A steal and layup by senior Dior Brown (Upper Darby, Pa./Upper Darby) gave Rider a 68-43 lead with 5:50 remaining, the largest lead of the game.   D. Brown finished with nine points and three steals in 11 minutes off the bench.

Also for the Broncs, senior Caitlin Bopp (Baltimore, Md./Inst. of Notre Dame) had eight points and nine rebounds, six on the offensive glass, before fouling out.  Bopp now has 897 career rebounds, second best all-time at Rider.

Siena senior Lily Grenci hit two free throws with 1:34 remaining in the first half to become the 25th player in Siena history to score 1,000 points for her career.  She finished with a ‘double-double’, 17 points and 14 rebounds. 

With the win, Rider won its 10th MAAC game, which at least ties the 10-8 conference mark set in 1999-2000.

Rider defeated Siena 73-61 Feb. 15 in Loudonville, New York.

Siena has won 29 of the 35 games in the series but Rider has won two straight over the Saints.

Rider hosts the Gaels of Iona on Sunday in the regular season finale at 2pm. The Broncs’ four graduating seniors, Chambers, D. Brown, Bopp and graduate student Carleigh Brown (Philadelphia, Pa./Nazareth Academy) will be honored in a pregame ceremony.