MyNeshia McKenzie and Rider face Niagara Friday/ Photo by JOHN BLAINE

LAWRENCEVILLE — MyNeshia McKenzie prefers her donuts for breakfast and not in the boxscore.

When the Rider women faced Niagara at Alumni Gymnasium on Feb. 2, the junior forward did something she can’t ever remember doing. She failed to score.

“I had a donut,” McKenzie recalled with a laugh Wednesday as the fourth-seeded Broncs prepared for their Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference quarterfinal against those same Purple Eagles Friday afternoon (3:30 p.m., MassMutual Center, Springfield, Mass.).

In that game, McKenzie produced one of the oddest statistical lines you’ll ever see: 0 points, 14 rebounds on 0 of 9 shooting and 0 of 4 from the foul line.

“It was a new feeling,” said McKenzie, who finished the regular season averaging 13.9 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. “They definitely didn’t see what I’m capable of. From that game, I’ve grown as a person and as a player. It kind of opened my eyes a little bit more.”


McKenzie went on to earn First Team All-MAAC honors earlier this week, becoming the first Rider player to be selected to the first team since the school joined the conference in 1997.

She has 13 double-doubles this season and 25 in her career.

Coach Lynn Milligan attributes that success to more consistency.

“It was a good step for her,” Milligan said. “She took a step skill level, took a step leadership-wise, took a step mentally. She got tougher this year. She found a level of consistency in what she was doing and took a lot of pride in that.”

Fifth-seeded Niagara (14-15, 9-9) swept the season series, winning two close games by a combined nine points.

Milligan doesn’t think the Purple Eagles got her side’s best shot in either game.

In the first matchup, McKenzie missed most of the second half after sustaining a head injury. In the second meeting, McKenzie was shutout and senior center Caitlin Bopp played just 10 first-half minutes because of a stomach illness.

In Lawrenceville, Lauren Gatto — Niagara’s First Team All-MAAC forward — had 22 points and 11 rebounds.

“It’s going to be a very good competitive game,” Milligan said. “We weren’t at full strength in either game, so I’m looking forward to us being better than we were against them just based on everyone’s healthy, we’re going in strong and everyone is feeling good about themselves.”

Only one other time — in 1999-2000 — have the Broncs avoided the play-in round and they are 3-15 all-time in the conference tourney.

“There’s no doubt about that,” said Milligan when asked if she feels more a part of the tournament. “As much as we want to downplay it and it’s business as usual, it is a different feel. The kids know that and it has given them a little bit more motivation and a little bit more drive that they are going up there believing we can win this tournament.”

If Rider (15-14, 10-8) gets past Niagara, it likely has a date with top-seeded Marist.

The Red Foxes have won 10 consecutive regular-season titles and the last seven conference tournament championships. They went 18-0 in the league this year.

Milligan admitted just reaching the semifinals would be great for her program and anything else is gravy.

To do that they would have to win the school’s first tournament game since a victory over Loyola in the 2004-05 play-in round.

“We’re playing with confidence overall,” McKenzie said. “I think we’re at the point where we can beat any team in this league and that’s how we’re playing right now.”