NEW ROCHELLE, NY – The Iona College women's basketball team lost to the Rider Broncs on Saturday afternoon at the Hynes Center. Freshman Paulla Weekes recorded a new career-best 13 points in the loss.

GAME SUMMARY

Weekes scored Iona's first two baskets of the afternoon, the second of which put the Gaels down 6-4 just three minutes into action. Stella and Amari Johnson combined to score the next seven points for Rider, as the Broncs grabbed a 13-8 advantage with 90 seconds to play in the opening frame. Tori Lesko converted on one-of-two free throws, but Lea Favre's layup would be the last points of the period, giving Rider a 15-9 lead.
 
As she had done in the previous quarter, Weekes scored the Gaels' first two buckets of the second period. The first of the two cut Iona's deficit to four points, but that would grow to 13 points midway through the frame. Rider used a 9-0 run to take a 28-15 lead with 4:39 to play in the half. The Broncs would extend that lead to 17 points by the end of the quarter, heading into the locker room with a 36-19 advantage over the Maroon & Gold.
 
A 13-point scoring stretch that spanned nearly five minutes expanded the margin to 28 points for Iona. The Gaels went over five minutes between points in the third quarter, allowing Rider to extend the already sizable lead. Juana Camilion scored inside at the 8:15 mark, but the 13-0 Rider run followed and wasn't stopped until Camilion's triple at the 2:37 mark of the frame. The deficit would reach 31 points by the end of the quarter as the visitors were responsible for the final six points of the third quarter.
 
After being held scoreless for the entire third quarter, Weekes got back on the board, scoring the Gaels' first points of the final frame. Five of Iona's nine points in the fourth quarter came from the charity stripe, but it wasn't enough to make a dent, as Iona fell to Rider, 81-37.

STATISTICAL LEADERS

• S. Johnson led all scorers with 24 points. The senior shot 9-12 from the floor and 5-6 from the free throw line.
• Amari Johnson was the game's leading rebounder, grabbing 10 boards. Weekes finished just behind her, pulling down a career-best nine rebounds.
• Rider's Amanda Mobley dished out a game-high nine assists. 
• Camilion led all players with four steals.
• Lesko, Victoria Toomey and Tracey Goodman all finished with one block.

NOTABLE NUGGETS

• Weekes finished one rebound shy of her first double-double. Her 13 points and nine rebounds were both new career-bests for the redshirt freshman.
• Stella Johnson's first basket of the afternoon gave her sole possession of Rider's career scoring record.
• The Gaels never held a lead in the contest, trailing for 39:45 of game action.
• Camilion and Weekes combined to score 22 of Iona's 37 points. Six other players scored for the Maroon & Gold, but none had more than four points.
• Rider shot over 50 percent on the afternoon and held Iona to 14-55 (25%) shooting from the floor. 
• The Gaels knocked down just one three pointer, firing 17 shots from beyond the arc. Camilion's triple in the third quarter was Iona's lone basket from deep and it came on the team's 11^th attempt of the game.
• Rider shot 21-29 from the charity stripe, compared to Iona's 8-15 mark.
• As a defensive unit, Iona registered 11 steals and forced 17 Rider turnovers, but only turned it into nine points.

AROUND THE MAAC

• Manhattan squeaked past Niagara, 68-65, in Riverdale, NY.
• Canisius won on the road at Monmouth, 71-62.
• Quinnipiac bounced back, going on the road to top Siena 66-52.

UP NEXT

Iona hits the road on Saturday, January 11 for a 2:00 p.m. tipoff at Monmouth. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN3.

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