LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. – The Niagara women’s basketball team won consecutive MAAC road games for the first time in five seasons after dispatching the Rider Broncs, 63-54, on Monday night from Alumni Gymnasium. Four Purple Eagles scored in double-figures in the win.

 

"It was another great team effort," head coach Kendra Faustin said. "We did a great job on the defensive end and we took care of the ball."

Niagara (5-12, 2-4 MAAC) never trailed in the game, even with the first points in the game coming at the 14:36 mark.  Senior guard Jennifer McNamee (Oxford, Ohio) drained a 3-pointer to break the only tie in the game at 2-2 on her second shot of the game. The 3-pointer moved her into Niagara history as she became the 20th player to enter the 1,000 point club.

 

"It is a remarkable accomplishment," Faustin said about McNamee. "She works very hard and she made a lot of sacrifices. She is a great shooter and she deserves it."

 

The Purple Eagles took a 23-15 halftime lead while holding Rider (2-15, 0-6 MAAC) to 20 (5-for-20) percent shooting from the field. In the second half, Niagara’s lead ballooned to 13 points on several occasions as the game was never in doubt.

 

McNamee finished the game with a game-high 16 points. Liz Flooks (White  Plains, N.Y.) added 15 points, Kayla Stroman (Syracuse, N.Y.) scored 13 points and Ali Morris (Parkersburg, W.Va.) dropped 10 points.

 

The last time NU won consecutive MAAC road games was in Feb. 2005 when the Purple Eagles beat Iona and Rider.

Niagara concludes its three-game road trip with a Sunday afternoon date with the Iona Gaels at 1 p.m.