ALBANY, N.Y. (Interstat) — Alena Cofield scored 18 points and Rider held off a late Siena rally for a 61-59 women’s basketball victory Thursday afternoon at Times Union Center. The Broncs led by as many as 11 but saw the Saints close to 59-57 with just over four minutes left. Kristina Ekofo Yomane’s 3-pointer with 1:54 to play gave Rider a decisive cushion. Siena’s Genevive Wedemeyer scored 14 points in the loss. Both teams struggled offensively, with Rider shooting 34.8% and Siena 30.9%. The Broncs improved to 3-12 overall. The Saints fell to 6-8.

ALBANY, N.Y. (Interstat) — In a game defined by grinding defense and missed opportunities, the Rider women’s basketball team secured a rare and hard-fought road victory, edging Siena 61-59 in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference contest Thursday afternoon at Times Union Center. The win, just the third of the season for the Broncs, snapped a four-game losing streak and came as a significant upset. National statistical projections had given the Saints a 94.5% probability of victory. The contest was a struggle for offensive efficiency from the opening tip. Both teams combined to shoot just 32.8% from the field, with Rider converting 23 of 66 attempts and Siena managing 21 of 68. The teams also combined for 31 turnovers and just 12 assists in a physical, disjointed affair. Rider established an early working margin, closing the first quarter on a 7-2 run to lead 16-12. The Broncs’ defense then clamped down in the second period, holding the Saints to 11 points on 4-of-16 shooting to take a 24-23 advantage into halftime. The third quarter saw Siena briefly find a rhythm, outscoring Rider 17-19 to knot the game at 40-40 heading into the final frame. The Saints carried that momentum into the fourth, building their largest lead of the game at 55-50 after a Valencia Fontenelle-Posson floating jumper with 4:50 remaining. The most important sequence of the game unfolded in the final minutes. Trailing 59-57 with under two minutes to play, Rider’s Alena Cofield took over. The sophomore guard from Langhorne, Pennsylvania, first assisted on a Kristina Ekofo Yomane layup to tie the game with 1:54 left. After a Siena miss, Cofield then drilled a critical three-pointer from the wing, assisted by Aliya McIver, to put the Broncs ahead 62-59 with 1:15 on the clock. Siena had multiple chances to tie or take the lead in the final minute but came up empty. A Genevive Wedemeyer layup attempt rolled off, and after an offensive rebound, Nicole Melious missed a close-range shot. Rider’s Aina Perez Mesquida secured the defensive board with 27 seconds left. The Broncs then survived a tense finish. McIver missed the front end of a one-and-one with 10 seconds left, giving Siena life. The Saints’ final possession ended in a turnover by Francesca Schiro, who lost the ball out of bounds with 4 seconds remaining after driving the lane. Rider inbounded to run out the clock and seal the narrow victory. Cofield led all scorers with 18 points, adding 7 rebounds and 3 assists. Ekofo Yomane, a junior from Brussels, Belgium, provided a crucial 15 points and 7 rebounds, while senior forward Deb Okechukwu of Washington, D.C., controlled the glass with a game-high 13 rebounds to go with 10 points. Siena was led by Genevive Wedemeyer’s 14 points and 8 rebounds. Nicole Melious added 12 points, and Fontenelle-Posson contributed 9 points and 4 rebounds off the bench. A key factor in the outcome was Rider’s ability to score inside, outpointing Siena 34-26 in the paint despite the poor overall shooting. The Saints, meanwhile, capitalized more on mistakes, scoring 17 points off 17 Rider turnovers compared to the Broncs’ 12 points off 14 Siena giveaways. With the win, Rider improves to 3-12 overall and 1-3 in MAAC play. The Broncs travel to face Marist on Saturday. Siena falls to 6-8 overall and 2-2 in the conference. The Saints will host Merrimack on Saturday.

Preview: Siena Hosts Rider in MAAC Women’s Basketball Clash ALBANY, N.Y. (Interstat) — Two Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference women’s basketball teams on divergent paths will meet Thursday when the Siena Saints host the Rider Broncs at Times Union Center. The Saints (6-7 overall) enter with momentum, having won five consecutive games. Their most recent victory was a 94-80 road win at Iona on Saturday, powered by 23 points from Francesca Schiro and 19 points from standout guard Nicole Melious. Melious has been a consistent force during the winning streak, averaging 15.4 points per game. She scored 19 points in wins over both Iona and Canisius. Conversely, Rider (2-12) seeks to halt a seven-game skid. The Broncs fell 68-56 to Quinnipiac at home on Saturday. Guard Alena Cofield led Rider with 16 points in that loss and is averaging 9.2 points over her last six games, including a 16-point performance against Quinnipiac. Siena’s offense has flourished during its streak, averaging 87.4 points per game over the last five contests. Rider has struggled to keep pace, failing to reach 60 points in six of its seven consecutive losses. The Saints won both meetings last season. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST. Siena’s next game is at home against Merrimack on Saturday. Rider travels to face Marist on Saturday.