January 11, 2008 - Saint Peter's 75 Rider 67
January 11, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Women’s College Basketball
Saint Peter's College 75, Rider University 67
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Game
LAWRENCEVILLE—Second chances. Great when you get them and not so great when you give them to your opponent. Despite 16 points from senior Janele Henderson (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bishop Loughlin), the Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game to Saint Peter’s Friday night, giving up a 23-8 advantage in second chance points and getting out-rebounded by 20 overall, 19-8 on the offensive glass. “We played a good basketball game tonight,” said head coach Lynn Milligan. “We just had one major problem tonight and that was rebounding.”
Rider (5-10, 0-4 MAAC) led 42-40 with 17 minutes left in the game before Saint Peter’s (11-4, 3-1 MAAC) went on a 17-6 to lead by nine 57-48 with just under nine minutes remaining.
“Our effort was great,” Milligan added. “But we didn’t finish plays and you can’t get out-rebounded by 20 and expect to win. We didn’t finish anything under the basket and that cost us big.”
The Peahens increased the lead to 11 before Rider countered with an 11-2 run, five points by Henderson to get within two 64-62 with five minutes remaining.
Up 67-65 with three minutes left, Saint Peter’s finished the game on an 8-2 run to seal the win.
“Saint Peter’s did a great job crashing the glass,” Milligan said. “We got caught not switching, not dropping down on the weak side, not switching off on screens, there were a lot of reasons we didn’t rebound and to lose a game on your home court because of rebounding is disappointing.”
Also for the Broncs, sophomore Tammy Meyers (Willingboro) added 12 points, three assists, three steals and two blocks in 34 minutes of action. Fellow sophomore Amanda Sepulveda (Perth Amboy/Hun School) had 11 points, six assists and two steals in 37 minutes of playing time.
Saint Peter’s led 34-26 with four minutes left in the first half before Rider used a late 7-2 run to get within three with two minutes remaining in the opening period and the Peahens led 38-33 at the half.
The Peahens have defeated Rider six straight times and lead the overall series 33-7.
Saint Peter’s has won five straight and the Broncs have lost three in a row.
Rider has lost nine of 10 games this season by single digits, tops in the nation. “Every game, it seems that something else different comes and bits us,” Milligan said. “We have fighters and kids who want to win, there is no doubt about that. I think sometimes we are afraid to make mistakes and that costs us when we get into offensive lulls. We still struggle with coming back after we make a mistake and getting a stop.”
Rider had only 11 turnovers and had 12 assists in the game. The Broncs had 10 steals off of 13 Peahen turnovers.
“We shot well and had a lot of assists and minimized our turnovers so I am happy with that,” Milligan said. “We just gave up so many second chances and that cost us the game.”
Tonight’s game saw the return of sophomore center Stephanie Wisniewski (Levittown, Pa./Villa Joseph Marie) who was out with a stress fracture in her foot suffered in the first game of the season. “Having Stephanie back was terrific,” Milligan said. “To have another bigger body in there to bang with people is something we need to have. I was very happy with her effort.” Wisniewski finished with six points and three rebounds in 12 minutes of play.
Rider hosts Loyola in a MAAC game at 1:00pm Sunday. “With both teams on a little bit of a losing streak, the Loyola game is going to come down to who wants it more and we are going to have to work hard tomorrow in practice to get back on track,” said Milligan.
-RU-
