Martucci, Quinnipiac headed back to NCAAs

Aryn McClure scored a career-high 28 points to help Quinnipiac beat Rider 81-73 and win the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship on Monday night, earning a bid to the NCAA tournament.

Jen Fay added 16 points and career-best tying 10 rebounds for the Bobcats, who will make their second trip to the NCAAs in the past three seasons.

Waterford’s Adily Martucci, a fifth-year senior, will be making her third NCAA appearance. She finished with 16 ponits, four rebounds, four steals and three assists.

Trailing 27-23 midway through the second quarter, Quinnipiac scored 17 of the next 21 points over the next 7 minutes to take a 40-31 advantage on Fay’s 3-pointer from the wing.

Rider got within 44-39 on Stella Johnson’s runner midway through the third quarter, but then Quinnipiac (27-6) scored the next eight points to take control.

The Broncs (24-8) were trying to complete one of the greatest turnarounds in MAAC history.

They finished last in the conference last season and were picked 10th out of 11 in the preseason poll.

What made the Broncs’ run even more impressive is that they played the last month of the season without conference player of the year Robin Perkins, who has an injured foot.

Down 65-50 with 4:36 left, Rider tried to rally. The Broncs cut it to 72-68 with 1:07 left on Julia Duggan’s three-point play, but could get no closer.

Duggan finished with 23 points and Kamila Hoskova added 16 to lead the Broncs.

— Associated Press