January 14, 2007 - Canisius 88 Rider 60
January 14, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Women’s College Basketball
Canisius College 88, Rider University 60
BUFFALO, N.Y.--The Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game at Canisius on Sunday. “Canisius shot the lights out today, especially from three-point range” said head coach Tori Harrison. “When a team shoots with that high of a percentage, there isn’t much that you are going to be able to do, especially with a depleted lineup.”
For Rider (1-16, 0-6 MAAC), sophomore Maura Gillooly (Fanwood, N.J./Scotch Plains-Fanwood) had 11 points off the bench.
“I am just trying to fight through it and do what I can to help the team,” said Gillooly who was limited to 12 minutes of playing time. “We couldn’t hit our shots today and Canisius hit everything. We played them eight days ago and their post players lit us up so we worked in practice to stop them and we did but they hit 12 three-pointers and that carried them today.”
“Maura has been limited by a shoulder injury,” Harrison said. “She is trying to gut through and be a spark for us and that’s what we need but she is also banged up and there is only so much that she can do.”
Canisius shot 60 percent from three-point range, making a Koessler Athletic Center record 12 three-pointers and shot 54 percent for the game, compared to the Broncs 31 percent from the field. Canisius had five players in double-digits led by Brittane Russell and Amber Witt who each had 13 points and Russell led the Golden Griffins with nine rebounds.
“We are really banged up and we are trying to keep the healthy players healthy,” said Harrison. “We just got Kelli [Sawyer] back after missing almost a month and now Janele [Henderson] is fighting back from an injury so getting our two leading scorers in the game and keeping them there at the same time has been a challenge. Monday will be our first day off since the holidays and hopefully having four days until our next game will give some of the players a chance to heal the nagging injuries.”
The Broncs jumped out to a 4-0 lead, three points by junior Kelli Sawyer (Philadelphia, Pa./Friends Select/LIU). Sawyer, who was Rider’s leading scorer in the last two games was held to six points and three assists on the day.
“The biggest problem we are facing is the lack of practice time together,” Harrison added. “Any type of timing that you can establish gets thrown off when you have to mix and match lineups and the players don’t have the time they need to work together because of the injuries.”
Canisius (11-6, 3-3 MAAC) rebounded with a 13-2 run, taking a 13-6 lead with 14:41 left in the first half. Rider cut the lead to 16-12 before the Golden Griffins went on a 9-0 run, opening up a 25-12 lead with 8:05 remaining in the opening period and Canisius led 42-28 at the half.
The Golden Griffins opened the second half with an 11-0 run and led by 25 at 53-28 with 16:35 left in the game.
Freshman Stephanie Wisniewski (Levittown, Pa./Villa Joseph Marie) added nine points and six rebounds with fellow rookie Ashley Anderson (East Orange, N.J./East Orange) adding eight points and five rebounds.
Sophomore Shaunice Parker (Waldorf, Md./West Lake) led the team with eight rebounds and had seven points with senior Kara Borel (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) adding five rebounds. Borel, who played in her 100th career game at Niagara Friday night needs four rebounds to move into third place all-time for Rider.
The Broncs have lost six straight.
Rider hosts Manhattan in a MAAC game on Friday at 7:00pm in Alumni Gym.
-RU-
