NEW ROCHELLE, NY – Shooting a blistering 58.2%, Rider defeated Iona at Alumni Gymnasium, 85-65.  The Broncs used a 17-0 run at the start of the second half to pull away and hand the Maroon & Gold their second MAAC loss of the season.

Senior Marina Lizarazu reached a milestone in the loss, scoring her 1,000 career point from the free throw line midway through the second quarter.  She finished the game with 12 points on 4 of 10 shooting.

Sophomore Treyanna Clay and senior Karynda DuPree each picked up two early fouls, forcing freshman Amelia Motz and Tilasha Okey-Williams to come off the bench early.  Rider rookie Stella Johnson had a stellar effort with the Iona post players vacant.  She recorded nine points in the first quarter, and finished the first half with six rebounds in just nine minutes.

Rider shot 66.7% from the floor in the first half, the highest percentage for any Iona opponent in a half this season.  The Gaels were outrebounded 22-12, and trailed the Broncs 46-36 despite forcing 18 turnovers.  With the win, Rider remains undefeated on the season when leading at halftime.

Following the red hot start to the second half by the Broncs, Sophomore Philecia Atkins-Gilmore ended the scores drought in the second half with a jumper in the paint.  Offensively the Gaels still struggled, shooting 18.8% in the third quarter, and 22.9% for the second half.

Atkins-Gilmore ended the game with her second career 20+ scoring outing, netting 20 points on 7-for-15 shooting.  She hit four triples in addition to dishing out two assists and swiping two steals.  Sophomore Alexis Lewis ended with 14 points and 10 rebounds.  It is her fifth career double-double, and fourth this season.

Iona forced 26 Broncs turnovers, but converted those chances into just 23 points.  Rider forced 17 Gael miscues which led to 22 points.

The Maroon & Gold return to the floor on Thursday night in Jersey City, NJ against Saint Peter's at 7 PM.