Manhattan improves to 8-17 on the year and 6-8 on the MAAC. The Jaspers' hand the Broncs just their third loss in conference play. Rider is now 15-10 overall and 11-3 in the league.
Highlights:
- Lizahya Morgan (East Hartford, CT / Capital Preparatory Magnet) and Kania Pollock (Queens, NY / The Mary Louis Academy) each scored a team-high 12 points for Manhattan against Rider, including 10 second-half points from Pollock. Morgan has now scored in double-figures two straight games.
- Lynette Taitt (Irvington, NJ / Bishop Loughlin) put in 11 points of her own, including six in the last 2:45 of the game. Taitt added a game-high four steals, six rebounds and three assists.
- Julie Hoier (Aabyhoej, Denmark / Marselisborg Gymnasium) pulled down a game-high nine boards, nabbing six on the defensive end. The Jaspers out-rebounded the Broncs 39-30, and 16-6 on the defensive glass for the game.
- Manhattan put together an aggressive start on Sunday, holding the Broncs to just six first-quarter points and leading 13-6 after the opening 10 was done. Morgan, who earned a game-high 13 points against Quinnipiac on Friday, scored six in the first period against Rider. The Broncs shot just 10 percent in the quarter, while Manhattan forced six turnovers and nabbed four steals.
- But things slowed offensively for the Jaspers in the second. The team went scoreless for the first five minutes of the period, as Rider went on a 7-0 run to tie it up. Morgan ended the scoring drought with a bucket, followed by a pair of free throws from Pamela Miceus (Haverstraw, NY / North Rockland) to put Manhattan back up four. Rider finished the second with an 11-4 run, leaving the Jaspers trailing 24-21 at the half.
- Manhattan came back from the break shooting 50 percent in the third quarter, with six Jaspers contributing to the offense in the period. Freshman Sydney Watkins (Wanaque, NJ / Saddle River Day) opened the quarter with five points, her first of the game, to get the Jaspers within two at 28-26, but the Broncs finished the period up five.
- Down nine with 5:52 left in the game, Taitt picked-off a Rider pass and the ensuing possession resulted in a three from Pollock to pull within six of the Broncs.
- Taitt's next steal came just 12 seconds later, on another Rider pass that converted to a fast break layup for Courtney Warley (West Chester, PA / Bishop Shanahan), closing the gap to four.
- With less than three minutes to go, Taitt sank two free throws to put the Jaspers down just two. At the 2:21 mark, Pollock hit two more to tie the game at 54 all.
- Taitt found an open lane with 1:12 to go and took it, sinking a layup to give the Jaspers their first lead since the second quarter. Taitt then nabbed her fourth steal of the game to give Manhattan possession once again.
- Taitt would make two more foul shots (four total down the stretch) to give Manhattan a 58-55 lead with 30 seconds to go. After Rider's Stella Johnson hit a layup to bring the Broncs back within one, Warley hit two more clutch free throws to secure the three-point victory.
- Johnson had a game-high 22 points for Rider, as well as five assists. Teammate Tracey Goodman added 10, hitting two big threes late in the game.
- Manhattan converted 18 points off Rider's 16 turnovers. Though the Broncs held a 22-18 advantage in the paint, Manhattan earned 15 second-chance points, compared to Rider's seven.
- Manhattan shot 18 free throws in the fourth quarter, converting 11. The Broncs shot just two in the final period.
- Sunday's win marks the second time this season the Jaspers have knocked off the MAAC number two: Manhattan defeated Marist 69-51 on January 27. Both games were on the road.
Up Next:
Manhattan travels to local rival Iona on Friday, February 22. The Gaels are on a two-game win streak defeating both Monmouth and Saint Peter's this week.