Men's College Basketball
Saint Peter's College 77, Rider University 66
LAWRENCEVILLE-When the Broncs went through tough times in the past, they could always count on some home cooking to heal what ailed them. The Broncs won 22 of their last 26 games in Alumni Gymnasium (.846) before this season and 127 of 168 (.756). This year, however, Rider is 4-3 at home, having lost its last three games in Alumni Gym.
"Another tough night for our team," said Rider head coach Tommy Dempsey after Saint Peter's junior guard Wesley Jenkins compiled a game-high 26 points and nine rebounds to lead the Peacocks to a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference victory at Rider Friday night.
The loss was Rider's third in a row at home, the first time the Broncs lost consecutive home games since 2007 and the first time Rider lost three in a row since losing the final four home games of the 2005-06 season.
"It surprises me that we haven't made more shots at home," Dempsey said. Rider shot 37 percent Friday (20-54). "You can't think that just because you are home you are automatically going to play great. Normally the ball goes in a bit more for us at home."
"We're trying to find a way to battle through," Dempsey said. "We're not playing well but we're also not getting a lot of breaks. The breaks don't seem to go your way when you aren't playing well."
Holding a 43-39 lead, Saint Peter's (9-8, 4-3 MAAC) out-scored Rider 12-5, 10 by Jenkins, to take a 55-44 lead with 11:25 left to play. "Jenkins is a very good player," Dempsey said. "He's an all-league player and that is what all-league players do."
Saint Peter's made 24 of 33 foul shots, including 11 of 16 in the final four minutes. Ryan Bacon was five for eight from the line in the final four minutes for SPC and finished 12 of 15 from the line with 18 points and 11 rebounds.
Junior Justin Robinson (London, England/Blair Academy) led Rider (10-9, 3-4 MAAC) with 19 points, making all eight of his foul shots.
"It's hard, sometimes, to stay positive," Robinson said, "but we just have to keep working hard. It is still early and we still have a chance to have a good season."
Rider senior Ryan Thompson (Mt. Laurel, N.J./Lenape) scored 14 points, eight from the foul line and junior Jhamar Youngblood (Elizabeth, N.J./St. Patrick's) added 13 points off the Rider bench. Junior Mike Ringgold (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) grabbed a team-high nine rebounds and added five points and five assists.
"We're not making shots," said Thompson, the MAAC Preseason Player of the Year who shot three for 13 from the field and eight of 13 from the foul line. "The ball just wasn't falling, again. We're in a slump that we have to get out of. In the preseason and early on in the year everyone was hitting their shots. Now it seems that no one is making their shots. We're still getting the same shots, we're just not making them."
Sophomore Novar Gadson (Philadelphia, Pa./John Bartram) compiled seven points and five rebounds in 24 minutes off the bench. Gadson suffered a high ankle sprain on January 9 and missed Rider's win at Marist January 11.
SPC is now in sole possession of third place in the MAAC, breaking a five-way tie behind Siena (6-0) and Fairfield (5-1). "The way everybody is so bunched up it is too early to give in," Dempsey said. "The difference between second or third and seventh and eight is still very small."
Saint Peter's came into the game having won four of its last seven games, including a double overtime win over Niagara January 11.
Trailing 12-11, SPC went on a 12-0 run, five points by Jenkins, to take a 23-12 lead mid-way though the first half, and the Peacocks led 38-31 at half time.
Rider and SPC have now met 45 times since the series began in 1942-43 with Rider winning 22. Rider won five straight over the Peacocks before losing to SPC at the Sovereign Bank Arena last season. Rider ended the Peacocks' season in the 2009 MAAC quarterfinals.
Rider travels to Iona Monday evening on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. "You always think that the next game is the one that will turn things around," Thompson said, "and that's what we're thinking about Monday."
"We just have to keep fighting," Dempsey said. "We're going to have to shoot the ball better, and we will. We're not getting bad shots. I have faith in this team. I believe in them. We're going to get it done."
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