NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y.--Niagara University, the defending
conference champion, made 15 three-point field goals to defeat Rider in
the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opener Thursday night. “I'm
disappointed in the way we played tonight,” said Rider head coach Tommy
Dempsey, “but Niagara had a lot to do with that. They play great in
this building.”
Niagara (4-2, 1-0 MAAC) is now 4-0 at home this year.
Senior forward Charron Fisher made a career-high eight
three-pointers and finished with a career-high 36 points and eight
rebounds. “Charron put on a show tonight,' Dempsey said. “He was
unbelievable and we didn't have an answer for him.”
For the Broncs (5-4, 0-1 MAAC), senior Jason Thompson (Mt.
Laurel/Lenape) compiled 25 points and 10 rebounds and younger brother
sophomore Ryan Thompson (Mt. Laurel/Lenape) added 12 points and 12
rebounds.
For Jason, it was his sixth ?double-double' of the season and the 36th of his career. His 10 rebounds gave him 865, nine shy of the Rider career record.
Trailing 57-39, Rider went on a 10-2 run, seven points by Ryan
Thompson, to cut the lead to 59-49 with 11:31 remaining, but that was
as close as the Broncs could get, as Fisher made back-to-back threes to
give Niagara a 65-49 lead. ?We clawed our way back into it several time
and each time it seemed Fisher had the answer.”
Niagara made its first five three-point field goals in the first
five minutes of the game. “That put us in a hole,” Dempsey said.
The Purple Eagles led 12-8 before going on a 10-0 run, five points
by sophomore guard Tyrone Lewis, to take a 22-8 lead. Lewis finished
with 14 points and six rebounds.
Trailing 22-8, Rider went on a 12-2 run, six points by Jason
Thompson, to cut the lead to 24-22 with 8:25 left in the first half.
Niagara led 31-25 before Rider went on an 8-0 lead to take a 33-31 lead.
Trailing 33-31, Niagara out-scored Rider 14-0, five points by Hodge,
to take a 42-33 lead, and Niagara led 49-34 at the half on 20 first
half points by Fisher. “That's a long climb in someone else's
building,” Dempsey said.
Junior Harris Mansell (Cheltenham, PA/Cheltenham) finished with 15 points and three assists for Rider.
Rider stays in Western New York to play at Canisius Saturday
evening. “That's our goal now, to go home 1-1 on this trip,” Dempsey
said.
