Men's College Basketball
Rider University 74, Manhattan College 71
LAWRENCEVILLE--The Manhattan Jaspers are named after Brother Jasper of Mary, F.S.C, who served the college in the late 19th century and was credited with inventing baseball's 'Seventh Inning Stretch.'
The Rider Broncs began a key stretch of their own Thursday night, a stretch of six home games in the regular season's final nine games, with a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference win over Manhattan in Rider's sold out Alumni Gymnasium.
"In the second half our guys took ownership and stepped forward," said Rider head coach Tommy Dempsey. "We looked like the team that we expect to be."
Junior Justin Robinson (London, England/Blair Academy) made two three-point field goals in the final 1:45 and made two foul shots with 9.5 seconds left to give Rider a come-from-behind win, Rider's second in a row.
Robinson, who leads the MAAC in free throw percentage (.922) and is second in three-point field goal percentage, hit a three to give Rider a 67-66 lead and hit another three to give Rider a 72-70 lead with 35 seconds left. He hit two free throws for the final score and finished with 16 points and five assists. "There was no doubt I was making those foul shots." Robinson said. Robinson was six for six from the foul line and has now made his last 21 free throws.
"These last two wins are giving us momentum at the right time," Robinson said.
Sophomore Novar Gadson (Philadelphia, Pa./John Bartram) made two foul shots with 1:09 remaining to give Rider a 69-68 lead. Gadson finished with 13 points and a team-high nine rebounds. With the score tied at 59-59, Gadson scored a basket and on the next possession added a free throw to give Rider a 62-59 lead with 4:17 left.
Senior Ryan Thompson (Mt. Laurel, N.J./Lenape) compiled 25 points, nine rebounds and four assists for the Broncs (12-11, 5-6 MAAC). "We never give up," Thompson said of the come-from-behind effort. "We always think we're going to come back and win it."
For Manhattan (7-14, 2-9 MAAC), Rico Pickett scored a career-high 32 points, 28 in the first half. Pickett is the leading scorer in the MAAC at 17.2 ppg.
In the second half Pickett was guarded by junior Mike Ringgold (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic). "Mike came out in the second half and really locked on to Pickett," Dempsey said. "Mike took it personal that Pickett scored 28 points in a half in our gym."
"I just wanted to lock him down," said Ringgold, who finished with 12 points, three rebounds and four assists. "I knew we'd discuss it at halftime."
"Mike is the best defender in the league," Dempsey said, "but when he defends a guard it hurts our rebounding. That was my thinking in the first half. But at half time Mike raised his hand and asked to guard Pickett in the second half. I was going to have him do that anyway, but it was good that he asked."
Trailing 53-50, Rider out-scored Manhattan 7-0, four points by Robinson, to take 57-53 lead with 7:35 remaining. Manhattan led 47-42 before Rider went on an 8-2 run to take a 50-49 lead mid-way through the second half, Rider's first lead since 4-2. "The second half we played well," Dempsey said.
Trailing 43-32, Rider out-scored Manhattan 10-2, seven points by Thompson, to cut the lead to 45-42. Manhattan jumped out to a 13-4 lead, 11 points by Pickett. "This is one great league we are playing in," Dempsey said. "If you don't play well you are not going to win in this league and we did not play well in the first half."
Holding a 16-15 lead, Manhattan out-scored Rider 15-4, seven points by Pickett, to take a 31-19 lead, and Manhattan led 39-30 at the half.
Darryl Crawford scored 15 points for the Jaspers.
With the win Rider has now beaten Manhattan twice this season and six of the last seven meetings. These two teams have now met 35 times since the series began in 1929-30 with Rider winning 18. Since Rider joined the MAAC the Broncs are 17-11 against the Jaspers, 16-10 in regular season play.
Having played 23 of the 28 regular season games, Rider is heading into the final innings of the season. The 'Seventh Inning Stretch' was a positive one, defeating Manhattan Thursday night.
The Broncs travel to Fairfield for a Saturday afternoon game at the Arena at Harbor Yard. "Fairfield is big, physical and just a very good team," Dempsey said. "We have to continue to get better if we are going to win a lot of games in this league."
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