Sophomore guard Audrey Ericksen went 6-for-6 behind the arc to give the Boston University women’s basketball team a 64-59 victory over Rider University on Sunday afternoon at Case Gym.
“I thought Rider played a really good game. They’re very scrappy. They’re very tough and physical,” head coach Melissa Graves said. “I thought even when we came out with a really good start, they never went away. So really happy with the win and able to learn from [it].”
Ericksen led the Terriers (3-3) with her 20-point performance. The dynamic duo of senior guard Alex Giannaros and sophomore guard Bella McLaughlin contributed significantly as well, racking up four assists each to facilitate scoring.
Meanwhile, freshman forward Allison Schwertner made her presence known on the boards, securing a solid seven rebounds throughout the game.
The Broncs (1-5) fought valiantly all game, with center Kaylan Deveney emerging as their top scorer on 15 points. Guard Aliya McIver made her mark defensively, leading her team with six rebounds, while forward Emilee Tahata dished out four assists to keep the Broncs in the hunt.
BU started strong, with Ericksen hitting two 3-pointers to spark a 10-2 run. After trailing by eight, Rider called a timeout with 7:45 left in the first quarter. Post-timeout, Ericksen extended the lead with her third 3-pointer, bringing the game to 13-2.
Despite the Terriers’ 10-point lead with five minutes to go in the first, the Broncs fought back, narrowing the gap to just five.
Rider’s Deveney brought it within one late in the period, but in a crucial moment before the quarter ended, Ericksen hit again, ending the frame with BU up 23-19. By this point, she was a perfect 5-for-5 beyond the arc.
“Every single time I made a shot, I was getting pointed out or hyped up … and every time I came off, my coaches were hyping me up,” Ericksen said. “[That helped] my confidence and it obviously stayed that way the entire game because of my team.”
Schwertner kicked off the Terriers’ scoring in the second, notching both her free throws, but guard Mariona Cos-Morales responded for the Broncs with a smooth layup in the paint to bring the score to 25-21.
Sophomore guard Aoibhe Gormley showcased her quick reflexes by stealing the ball off a Bronc. She sprinted down court and, in a moment of perfect teamwork, passed the ball to McLaughlin, whose seamless layup extended BU’s lead to 27-21.
At the 3:14 mark, junior forward Anete Adler’s court vision helped her find freshman guard Hildur Gunnsteinsdóttir open near the basket for another layup that further cushioned the Terrier lead.
Rider wasn’t ready to back down, though, rallying with an impressive 5-0 run.
When it seemed the momentum could shift, McLaughlin landed a layup just before the buzzer, ending the quarter on a strong note.
By halftime, the Terriers maintained a seven-point lead with the score resting 35-28.
McLaughlin ignited the second-half scoring for BU, setting off a 7-0 run.
As the clock continued to wind down during the period, back-to-back additions from Adler and McLaughlin effectively quelled any hopes the Broncs had of closing the gap, and with just over two minutes left in the period, the Terriers found themselves commanding a 13-point lead.
Entering the final quarter of play, BU aimed to close out their 12-point advantage over the Broncs.
Giannaros opened fourth-quarter scoring for the Terriers with a fast break in the paint, and Bronc guard Gabby Turco quickly countered with a layup as the two teams exchanged baskets.
The Broncs demonstrated their resilience as the clock ticked down, embarking on a 7-0 run of their own that slashed their 14-point deficit to seven with just 3:47 left.
When it seemed the visitors might mount a late comeback, BU responded with a layup to stabilize their lead.
Through the final stretch of the game, the Terriers held ground to secure the victory against Rider.
“We talked about what we wanted to find offensively, but the biggest thing [was] taking care of the basketball,” Graves said. “I thought we did take care of the ball better in the second half. We [also] talked about getting our rebounding goal and crashing the offensive glass, [and] we ended up getting [that] rebounding goal.”
Looking ahead, the Terriers are set to face the Le Moyne Dolphins in Syracuse, New York, with tip-off scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday.
