Guru Report: Career Games Carry La Salle and Rider to Comeback Victories

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

It was a lite schedule but one that produced nice results Friday with career performances from the Guru’s two local teams in action on the road down South.

 La Salle again rallied in the fourth period, this time from an eight-point deficit for a narrow 55-52 win at Norfolk State in Echols Hall in Virginia, while Rider took the first of two in the MAAC/ASUN challenge in Kissimmee, Fla., near Orlando, beating Lipscomb 81-76.

A year ago, La Salle did not get its first win under new coach Mountain MacGillivray until Dec. 9 while now the Explorers (4-1), who were picked last by the Atlantic 10 coaches, are within two of matching their entire victory total for the season just past.

Indeed, had they not suffered a narrow loss in their home opener to Robert Morris in overtime two weeks ago, the squad would be unbeaten.

The last three-game win streak early in the season came in 2017-18 and the 4-1 start is the Explorers’ best since going 5-0 way back in 2006-07.

In this one, it took career highs by freshman Jordon Lewis and senior Shalina Miller to get the job done this weekend following last week’s exploits in which La Salle erased large double digit deficits to come back at home over Harvard and on the road for a first-ever series win against Penn State.

 On Friday, again the Explorers were trailing in the fourth quarter, but used a 13-3 run over the final 5:16 to keep the win streak alive.

 And once more, the defense did its job by blanking the home team over the final 4:35.

Newcomer Lewis scored 18 points, shooting 4-of-8 from the field, including connecting on 2-of-3 three-point attempts and she was also perfect from the line, shooting 8-for-8.

Miller, meanwhile, grabbed 16 rebounds and blocked two shots.

Additionally, Kayla Spruill added 10 points for the visitors while grabbing five steals and seven rebounds.

Chanette Hicks had 22 points for Norfolk State (2-3), the only player for the squad to score in double figures.

La Salle next returns home to host Coppin State Tuesday night at 7 p.m. at its Tom Gola Arena and then heads after Thanksgiving to a two-game weekend tournament hosted by Navy Saturday and Sunday at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.

Rider 81, Lipscomb 76 – Broncs senior guard Stella Johnson continues to live up to her billing as the preseason player of the year in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

Johnson had a career day, that was also an all-time high for the Rider program, scoring 41 points to take the squad to an opening win in the two-day MAAC/ASUN Challenge at HP Field House at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex in Kissimmee, Fla. 

The native of Denville, N.J., made the difference in the fourth period, scoring 18 of her points to reach the record. It’s the first time a player in the MAAC has gone over 40 points in two seasons.

A career-day was also enjoyed by Amanda Mobley, who was a perfect 6-for-6 from the field on the way to18 points.

Rider (3-1) has now won three straight games since its opening night loss up the road from its Lawrenceville campus at Princeton. 

The tightly fought contest had 19 lead changes.

The Broncs trailed by 10 points with just under six minutes remaining in regulation before exploding on a 17-3 run accentuated by a put back from Lea Favre for a 75-71 lead with 1:20 remaining in regulation.

Rider was 8-or-8 from the line during the rally while Lipscomb went scoreless in just three attempts and also committed three turnovers.

Jalyn Holcomb had 27 points for Lipscomb (1-4), while Carleigh Short scored 17. 

“Being down 10, it shows the determination of this team to understand what we need to do to win,” said Rider veteran coach Lynn Milligan. “Stella is in a zone right now where she refuses to let us lose.”

It was the first meeting between the two programs. 

Prior to Johnson’s heroics, the previous program scoring record for a game was shared by MyNeshia McKenzie and Nancy Carroll with 37. 

The Broncs made 23 from the line to tie a season high. 

There were 21 turnovers forced by Rider while just committing 14, a season low.

Rider on Saturday will complete the weekend action, in fact in the only local D-1 game on the Guru schedule, with another 2:30 p.m. tip, in this one playing North Florida.

Ironically, the next Rider game after Saturday is home in Alumni Gym on Dec. 7 in two weeks against La Salle.

And that’s the report.