JERSEY CITY, N.J. - The Saint Peter's women's basketball team defeated the Rider University Broncs on Saturday, Jan. 24 by a score of 55-46 at Run Baby Run Arena.
The battle between the two schools was electric with both teams really fighting hard, but thanks to stellar defense by the Peacocks forcing 13 steals, Saint Peter's was able to pull away with the victory.
De'Naya Rippey with another career performance in what has been an unbelievable season so far. With her second consecutive game scoring a career high of 26 points, and grabbing a team best nine rebounds, all while shooting 50.0 percent from the floor. In fact, of the 17 points that the Peacocks scored in the fourth quarter, nine of them came solely from Rippey. And this performance is tied for 13th for the most points scored by a player in a game in the MAAC this season and it is her fourth game this season scoring 20 points or more.
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST QUARTER: Layla Laws scored the first points for the Peacocks on a trip to the line and cashing in on one.
Laila Grant made her return to the court and scored on a long 3-pointer on her first shot. Rippey scored her first basket on a drive inside and scoring at the basket to head into the media timeout with a score of 6-7. Rippey scored the first basket out of the timeout with a basket inside. At the buzzer,
Louella Allana knocked down a halfcourt triple to take the lead at the end of the first 11-10.
SECOND QUARTER: Carys Roy knocked down the first basket for the Peacocks following a scoreless first five minutes of the quarter. Grant later knocked down a long mid range jumper to make the score 15-23 with three minutes to go. Rippey added two more to the total with a pair of free throws.
Reilly Sunday came off a pick and roll screen and knocked down a long mid range jumper and Rippey added another for good measure. Sunday with a basket at the buzzer sent the game into the second half with a 23-25 score.
THIRD QUARTER: The Peacocks started the second half hot with a pair of jumpers by Rippey and Laws. Rippey added another basket to her total with a jumper from mid range. Following a media timeout, the Peacocks scored off a free throw by Roy and then a basket inside by Rippey. Rippey added another basket to her total with a long 3-pointer. Roy also scored a basket inside to end the third quarter following a corner triple by the Broncs to enter the fourth with a score of 38-39.
FOURTH QUARTER: Sunday scored the first basket in the corner off a great drive and dish from Rippey.
Nikola Zdenkova scored on a fantastic pump fake and mid range jumper. Rippey later drove inside the paint and scored on an and-1 to give Saint Peter's a 45-39 lead halfway through the fourth. Rippey followed up with another and-1 to send the contest into the media timeout. Rippey completed the three point play coming out of the timeout and immediately made an impact defensively with drawing a loose ball and giving the Peacocks possession. Rippey added another basket to her total driving inside and finishing at the rim. A spinning layup by Rippey gave the Peacocks a 52-41 lead halfway through the fourth. A five point run by the Broncs gave Rider a sign of life, but a layup inside by Roy and one at the line put the contest out of reach as Saint Peter's cruised into victory with a final score of 55-46.
UP NEXT: Saint Peter's will head on the road against Mount St. Mary's next Saturday, Jan. 31 at 2 pm ET.
