Men's College Basketball-Exhibition
Rider University 80, College of New Jersey 42
LAWRENCEVILLE- Junior Brandon Penn (Philadelphia, Pa./Paul Robeson) scored 19 points to lead Rider to an exhibition win over TCNJ Saturday afternoon. "It was nice to get back on the court," said Rider head coach Tommy Dempsey. "It was a good start and hopefully one we can build on as we get ready for UMass."
Holding a 40-21 lead early in the second half, Rider went on a 14-0 run, three points by Penn, to take a 54-21 lead with 13:50 left to play. "I knew Brandon would step up this year," Dempsey said. "He did well at the end of last year. He's becoming a complete player and is very capable of having a break-out junior year."
"It felt good today to get out in front of the home crowd," Penn said. "I just have to play my role, take the shots that I know I can make."
Penn made seven of 14 field goals, including a pair of three-pointers, and all three of his foul shots, while grabbing five rebounds.
Also for the Broncs, senior Mike Ringgold (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic), a Second Team Preseason All-MAAC selection this year, compiled nine points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
Freshman Anthony Myles (Dover, DE/Poly-Tech), in his sold out Alumni Gym debut, compiled 16 points in 24 minutes off the bench, making four of five three-point shots.
"Anthony shot good shots today," Dempsey said. "That's the key. If you are going to be a good three-point shooter you have to shoot good ones. His shot selection was good. Overall it was a nice debut."
"It was very exciting," said Myles, who earned First Team All-State honors in Delaware last year and was a Reebok All-American. "I was anxious. That's all I thought about last night. My role right now is just to try and fit in, hit an open shot if I'm open."
"There's an adjustment period," Dempsey said. "You go from a guy expected to score 25 a game in high school to playing with guys who all scored 25 a game in high school. The best advice for a freshman is to just fit in. The older guys have to accept the fact that the younger guys are going to play, for us to be a really good team."
Junior Novar Gadson (Philadelphia, Pa./John Bartram), a Third Team All-MAAC preseason selection this year, added 12 points and six rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench.
All 10 Rider players played double-figure minutes. "We just tried to focus on getting everybody a lot of minutes," Dempsey said. "Everybody getting their feet wet. I liked our depth. It looked like we had a lot of options."
Rider jumped out to a 13-5 lead in the first five minutes, five points by Penn.
Holding a 13-8 lead, Rider went on an 11-0 run, four points by Gadson, to take a 24-8 lead midway through the first half and the Broncs led 38-20 at intermission.
For Division III TCNJ, Peter Kelly scoring nine points in 16 minutes off the bench.
Rider out-rebounded TCNJ 41-23, including 26-9 in the second half.
Last season Rider defeated Division II West Chester 75-52 in the preseason exhibition game and in 2008-09 Rider defeated D-II East Stroudsburg 69-55.
Rider begins the 2010-11 season at the University of Massachusetts November 12.
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