January 19, 2007 - Manhattan 83 Rider 75
January 19, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Women’s College Basketball
Manhattan College 83, Rider University 75
LAWRENCEVILLE—The Jaspers ended a nine-game losing streak with a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference victory at Rider Friday. “It’s confusing to me that we can come out with such fire and energy in the second half and come out so flat and uninspired to open the game,” said head coach Tori Harrison.
Trailing 10-9, Manhattan (5-13, 2-5 MAAC) went on a 12-0 run, six points by junior forward Caitlin Flood, to take a 21-10 lead. Holding a 23-16 lead, Manhattan went on an 11-0 run, four points by sophomore forward Kelly Regan, to take a 34-16 lead, and the Jaspers led 45-27 at the half.
Flood finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds, her fifth ‘double-double’ of the season, while Regan added 16 points.
“We practiced going inside more and we didn’t execute the game plan until the second half,” said Harrison. “I was a post player and I was taught that you have to get the ball inside and not settle for twenty-something foot jump shots. We weren’t ready when Manhattan double-teamed the ball and right now we have to go back to the drawing board.”
Trailing 60-42, Rider (1-17, 0-7 MAAC) out-scored Manhattan 18-10, six points by sophomore Shaunice Parker (Waldorf, MD/West Lake), to cut the lead to 70-60 with 7:14 remaining. Parker finished with 13 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
“I was just trying to play my game in the second half,” said Parker who scored all of her points in the final 20 minutes. “I was trying to give my team energy after having no type of start to begin the game.”
Parker made a three-point field goal and sophomore Danielle Costantino (Norristown, PA/Archbishop Carroll) hit a jumper with 2:01 left to cut the lead to 78-71. Costantino finished with 10 points and a career-high five assists off the Rider bench.
With 1:34 left, sophomore Maura Gillooly (Fanwood, N.J./Scotch Plains-Fanwood) had a three-point shot land halfway down the cylinder before spinning out which would have cut the Jasper lead to four. Manhattan then made five free throws down the stretch to preserve the win. Gillooly finished with seven points.
Senior Kara Borel (East Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) scored 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds and is now third all-time in career rebounds at Rider with 676.
“Getting down early and having to fight back has been an on-going problem this season,” said Borel. “It shows the caliber of the team that we could be but it is frustrating that we haven’t been able to put two halves together. We have to come out with that energy that jump at the start and not wait until the second half to start battling.”
Junior Kelli Sawyer (Philadelphia, PA/Friends Select) scored five points in the first 4:30 of the game to give Rider its only lead of the game, 10-9. Sawyer finished with 10 points and four assists.
Rider shot 54 percent on the night, including 66 percent in the second half, the second time this season that the Broncs have shot over 50 percent in a game.
The Jaspers had 24 assists on 26 made baskets and made 23 of 27 free throws, including their first 16 in a row in the game. Rider made it to the charity stripe 11 times, making nine.
The Broncs were playing without their leading scorer, junior Janele Henderson (Brooklyn, NY/Bishop Loughlin), who was sidelined with an illness.
“We haven’t had one game all year that someone hasn’t been missing,” said Harrison. “It hurts the continuity of the team but the players who are on the floor have to execute the game plan and pressure the ball better. We’re not doing the little things that we need to do.”
The loss extended Rider’s losing streak to seven games.
“I tell the players all the time that we can play with anyone in the conference, and tonight proves that,” Harrison said. “If we follow the game plan and do what we are supposed to do, we give ourselves a chance and that’s what we need to focus on for our next game.”
Rider plays at Fairfield Sunday.
“We are looking to come out with more focus on Sunday,” Parker added. “We need to play with more energy and compete for 40 minutes.”
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