LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. (December 14, 2024) – Rider University used a 12-0 run to spark a 30-point fourth quarter and erase an 11-point deficit in the opening stages of the final frame to collect a 65-53 victory over Stonehill College in a non-conference women's basketball matchup at Alumni Gymnasium tonight.
Senior
Gabby Turco and freshman
Winner Bartholomew combined to score 34 of Rider's 65 points in the win. Turco netted a team-high 18 points on 6-of-14 shooting, converting all six free-throws, to go with six rebounds, two assists and a steal, while Bartholomew made 6-of-8 shots, and 4-of-6 free-throws for 16 points, seven boards, six steals and a blocked shot. Junior
Emilee Tahanta contributed six points on 3-of-5 shooting, five rebounds, and three blocks, while sophomore
Aliya McIver chipped in with five steals, five points and two assists.
Senior
Sharn Hayward led Stonehill with a game-high 22 points, including 12 in the opening quarter on 4-of-7 shooting from three-point range to lead the Skyhawks to a nine-point lead (21-12), adding two steals. Postgrad
Kylie Swider added 12 points and five rebounds, while freshman
Shira Elkis registered a season-high ten points and four boards with two assists.
Rider outscored Stonehill 30-10 in the fourth quarter on 10-of-13 shooting (76.9%), including 2-of-3 from three-point range after missing all seven from beyond the arc through the first three quarters, to erase an 11-point (46-35) deficit in the opening seconds of the fourth. The Broncs also took advantage of ten Stonehill turnovers in the final frame, posting a 17-0 margin in points off in the fourth alone to finish with a 26-6 margin in points off turnovers overall.
Elkis posted season-highs of ten points and four rebounds for the Skyhawks (PHOTO BY Wesley Bunnell/Stockton Photo) |
Elkis buried a three-pointer nine seconds into the fourth quarter to match Stonehill's largest lead of the night at 11 (46-35), but Rider reeled off a 12-0 run to grab its first lead (47-46) since four minutes into the game with a Turco jumper off a Bartholomew steal, who added four points during the run. Freshmen
Jocelyn Chavez and
Camryn Collins sparked the run with back-to-back three-pointers – Riders only two from beyond the arc on the night.
Stonehill answered with a fastbreak layup from Elkis, but that would be the Skyhawks last lead (48-47) as Rider extended its decisive run to 26-4 for an 11-point lead of its own (61-50) after two Turco free-throws with 49 seconds to play. Bartholomew opened the run with a layup that gave the Broncs the lead for good, while McIver added a key three-point play to key a ten-point run that pushed the hosts lead into double-figures for good and snapped a six-game skein.
Hayward buried four-straight three-pointers after Elkis hit one of her own midway through the opening quarter to spark Stonehill to a nine-point lead (21-12) after a quarter of play. Swider gave Stonehill its first 11-point margin (23-12) of the game a minute into the second quarter and the Skyhawks lead was ten (25-15) after a layup from sophomore
Brooke Paquette with 7:26 remaining in the first half.
Rider closed the half with an 11-2 run, led by five points from Bartholomew, including the final four, and four points from Turco, to pull within a point (27-26) at the intermission. Stonehill quickly regained a nine-point lead (36-27) with a 9-1 run to open the third quarter, capped by a Hayward triple with 6:48 to go in the frame. Hayward scored the Skyhawks final 12 points of the third as the visitors carried an eight-point lead (43-35) into the final quarter.
Noteworthy
