March 2, 2006 - Manhattan 89 Rider 52
March 2, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Women’s College Basketball-MAAC Playoffs
Manhattan College 89, Rider University 52
ALBANY, NY—With just seven healthy players in uniform, the Rider University women’s basketball season came to an end in the first round of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship tournament, losing to the sixth seed, Manhattan Friday evening in the Pepsi Arena. “We were certainly undermanned, with just seven kids,” said Rider head coach Tori Harrison.
For Rider (3-25, 2-16 MAAC), sophomore Janele Henderson (Brooklyn, NY/Bishop Loughlin) compiled a game-high 19 points and grabbed five rebounds. “Janele has been our offensive spark all year,” said Harrison. “We didn’t play our best today,” said Henderson.
Manhattan (11-17, 7-11 MAAC) held Rider without a field goal for the first 10 minutes of the second half, out-scoring the Broncs 24-3 to take a 64-29 lead mid-way through the second half. “We didn’t play as hard as we needed to play at the defensive end,” said Harrison.
Freshman Danielle Costantino (Norristown, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) added 13 points, and senior Christine Catalanotto (Flushing, NY/Christ the King) compiled 11 points, three assists and three steals in her final game as a Bronc. “I would have liked to send Christine out on a better note,” said Harrison. “She motivated her teammates all year.” “This is definitely not the way I wanted by career to end,” said Catalanotto, ‘but we fought hard to the very end and left everything out on the court.”
Rider junior Kara Borel (East Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) scored seven points and grabbed six rebounds. Borel will enter her senior year with 589 career rebounds, eighth highest ever at Rider.
Holding a 23-18 lead, Manhattan went on a 14-2 run, eight points by Third Team All-MAAC guard Joann Nwafili, to take a 37-20 lead, and the Jaspers led 40-26 at half time. Nwafili finished with 16 points and seven rebounds.
With the score tied at 8-8, Manhattan went on a 15-3 run, six points by 6’3” freshman center Kelly Regan, to take a 23-11 lead with eight minutes left in the first half. A member of the MAAC All-Rookie team, Regan finished with 17 points and seven rebounds.
Rider made 21 of 26 foul shots, led by Henderson’s six of seven and Borel’s five of six.
Manhattan shot 62 percent from the field (34-55), compared to 27 percent for Rider (13-48), and out-rebounded Rider 42-21.
“I feel good about next year,” said Henderson. “We’ll be healthy again, and won’t have to play with just seven players.”
-RU-
