Men's College Basketball
Rider University 70, Niagara University 62
LAWRENCEVILLE- In a come-from-behind effort, senior Ryan Thompson barreled over Niagara.
Thompson (Mt. Laurel, N.J./Lenape) compiled 31 points, including six in the final 1:06, and seven rebounds to lead Rider to a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference victory over Niagara Monday night. The 31 points ties his career high. "Just a gutsy performance by our guys in the second half," said Rider head coach Tommy Dempsey. "Overall a very good win."
"We know how to stay together," Thompson said, "through the good and the bad. We don't give up. Our backs were to the wall, again, and we just fought and got the win."
Thompson, the MAAC Preseason Player of the Year, has compiled 101 points in his last four games.
With the win, Rider (14-12, 7-7 MAAC) sweeps the two-game series with Niagara (13-13, 6-8 MAAC) this season for the first time since 2001-02 and moves into sole possession of fifth place. Niagara ended Rider's season last year in double overtime in the MAAC semifinals. "It is always good to beat Niagara," Thompson said. "We look at them as a rival and it is always a fun game to play. Especially after what happened last year it was a good thing to sweep them this year."
Rider trailed 51-40 before going on a 15-0 run, five points by Thompson and four points each by junior Justin Robinson (London, England/Blair Academy) and junior Jhamar Youngblood (Elizabeth, N.J./St. Patrick's), to take a 55-51 with 5:49 left to play, Rider's first lead since 15-14. That was the third and final lead change of the game.
Robinson finished with 14 points before fouling out. Youngblood finished with four points and a career-high nine rebounds. "Justin played terrific," Dempsey said. "Our effort, our energy, our intensity was much better in the second half," Robinson said. "We knew it was do or die."
Robinson made a three-point field goal with 3:32 left to give Rider a 58-52 lead and Thompson made one to give Rider a 61-55 lead, but both times senior Tyrone Lewis of Levittown, PA, answered with a three-pointer for Niagara. Lewis finished with a team-high 17 points.
"Justin and Ryan dominated the game in the second half," Dempsey said. "When they are playing at the level they were playing at in the second half, that's really hard to guard." Thompson and Robinson combined for 34 second-half points. As a team, Niagara scored 25 points in the second half. "That's a tough tandem when they get it going."
Niagara led 44-37 before out-scoring Rider 7-3, five points by Kashief Edwards, to take a 51-40 lead. Edwards finished with nine points in 13 minutes off the Niagara bench. "We didn't get enough stops in the first half," Dempsey said.
Trailing 37-23 at halftime, Rider out-scored Niagara 11-4 to start the second half, five points by Thompson, to cut the lead to 41-34. "We were really resilient," Dempsey said. "I thought it was important that we come out early in the second half and let Niagara know that there were going to be 20 more minutes to play."
Rider led 15-14 before Niagara went on a 14-4 run, six points by Lewis, to take a 28-19 lead, and the Purple Eagles out-scored Rider 9-2 over the final 3:15 of the first half to take a 37-23 lead at intermission. "It would have been very easy at half time to pack it in and get beat again," Dempsey said. "Defensively we were outstanding in the second half, and our offense feeds off of our defense."
Senior forward Bilal Benn compiled 10 points and a game-high 12 rebounds for Niagara.
Also for Rider, who defeated Niagara 62-61 on January 24, sophomore Novar Gadson (Philadelphia, Pa./John Bartram) compiled 12 points and eight rebounds. Gadson's tip in with five seconds left led Rider to victory over Niagara two weeks ago. Junior Mike Ringgold (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) scored six points but added eight rebounds.
Rider and Niagara have now met 31 times since the series began in 1991-92, with Rider winning 12. Niagara was picked second in the MAAC preseason poll and Rider was picked third. The two teams came into Monday night's game tied for fifth.
The win was Rider's fourth in the last five games. "We're grinding through it," Dempsey said. "Hopefully we're hitting our peak in the stretch run."
Rider has four MAAC games left, three at home.
Rider hosts Fairfield on ESPNU Friday at 7pm. Rider defeated Fairfield 88-80 on January 30.
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