The Rider women’s basketball team hit too many big shots for Niagara to overcome Friday night as the Purple Eagles dropped their 18th straight game, 75-59, in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game in the Gallagher Center in Lewiston.

Senior Shaunice Parker hit all seven of her field goal attempts to finish with a game-high 15 points for the Broncs (7-14, 4-6), who snapped a two-game losing streak.

When Parker wasn’t hitting huge baskets, sophomore Cintella Spotwood was accurate from beyond the arc. Spotwood’s three-pointer gave Rider a 35-32 halftime lead after Niagara made a furious 15-5 run to overcome a 10- point deficit. Spotwood canned two more treys to open the second half, sparking an 18-4 run in the opening eight minutes that proved too much for the Purple Eagles (1-20, 0-10) to overcome.

Spotwood drained 4 of 5 from beyond the arc and finished with 14 points.

“Every shot Cintella made tonight was a big shot,” Rider coach Lynn Milligan said. “They came at big times and she shot the ball with confidence.”

Ali Morris led Niagara with 14 points, while Erika Harris added 10.

“In the first half, we did well defensively but we didn’t do the little things well in the second half,” NU coach Kendra Faustin said.

The Purple Eagles host Saint Peter’s at 2 p. m. Sunday.

Today’s games

The University at Buffalo men are ready for their close-ups.

UB carries a five-game winning streak into this afternoon’s nationally televised Mid-American Conference game against Toledo in Alumni Arena (noon, ESPN2, Radio 1230 AM). The first-place Bulls (13-5, 5-1) are off to their best start ever in conference play and enter the showdown against the Rockets (4-16, 2-4) off a pair of huge road wins over MAC contenders Miami and Western Michigan.

UB has won eight of its last nine games. The first 500 students with a valid UB ID card will receive a free T-shirt as part of Reggie Appreciation Day in recognition of coach Reggie Witherspoon.

In other men’s games, St. Bonaventure (11-9, 2-5 Atlantic 10) looks to end a three-game losing streak with an Atlantic 10 clash at Duquesne (13-6, 4-2) at 7 p. m. (Radio 1300 AM in Buffalo, 1450 AM and 95.7 FM in Olean). Niagara (15-6, 6-3 MAAC) also hits the road and faces Manhattan (11-9, 5-5) at 7 p. m. (Radio 105.1 FM).

In women’s play, UB plays the second game of an Alumni Arena doubleheader when it takes on Western Michigan (5-14, 1-5) at 2 p. m. (Radio 1340 AM). The Bulls (4-15, 0-6) have lost 12 in a row since beating North Carolina Central on Nov. 29.