Men's College Basketball
Rider University 89, Canisius College 65
LAWRENCEVILLE-Home is where the heart is. After losing three straight games on the road, the Broncs were a bit homesick.
"It was nice to be home," said Rider head coach Tommy Dempsey, "and I'm glad we played well."
"It felt good to finally have a crowd on our side," said senior Brandon Penn (Philadelphia, Pa./Paul Robeson), who scored 25 points and grabbed six rebounds to lead Rider to a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference victory over Canisius Sunday afternoon. "Glad everybody showed up."
Penn made a career-high seven three-point field goals and all four of his foul shots, and has now compiled 173 points and 87 rebounds in the last 10 games.
"I got some good looks," Penn said. "I try to not take bad shots and knock down the open shots. Lately I've been able to do that."
"That's Brandon's key," Dempsey said. "For a long period now if he gets an open look it's in."
The victory snapped Rider's three-game losing streak. "Today was important," Dempsey said. "We needed one."
The game was just Rider's second home contest since December 14, playing eight of nine on the road since then. "That game seems like an eternity ago," Dempsey said. "Coming off a tough road trip my message to the players was 'just because we're home, that doesn't guarantee success, we have to be ready'. I knew if we came out and played well and played with energy there was a good chance we'd win today."
Rider (7-14, 4-5 MAAC) led 59-46 before out-scoring Canisius 20-3, six points by senior Novar Gadson (Philadelphia, Pa./John Bartram), to take a 79-49 lead with 5:30 left to play.
Gadson finished with 22 points and eight rebounds and moved into 16th place on Rider's all-time scoring list with 1,337 career points. The eight rebounds gives Gadson 684 for his career, 12th most ever at Rider.
"I'm starting to get my rhythm back," said Gadson, who has suffered an up and down season after having off-season knee surgery. "As a senior I have to play with intensity."
Holding a 19-16 lead, Rider went on a 19-2 run, seven points by Gadson and six each by Penn and freshman Eddie Mitchell (Philadelphia, PA/La Salle), to take a 38-18 lead, and Rider led 43-22 at the half. The Broncs made all 14 of their foul shots in the first half and were 22 of 29 from the foul line for the game.
Mitchell finished with six points, six assists and a career-high eight rebounds. Rider out-rebounded Canisius 50-28.
Canisius (4-15, 1-8 MAAC) used a 10-2 run, four points by Gaby Belardo, to cut the lead to 59-46 with 13:56 left to play, but could get no closer. Belardo finished with 19 points.
Rider scored the first 10 points of the game, four each by Gadson and sophomore Daniel Stewart (Philadelphia, PA/Neumann-Goretti). Stewart finished with 12 points and five rebounds. Junior Jonathon Thompson (Orlando, Fla./Jones) grabbed eight rebounds and had four assists for the Broncs.
The Golden Griffins defeated Rider by two points, 67-65, on February 11, 2011 in Alumni Gym. That was the only time Canisius has ever won at Rider (1-15).
Since Rider joined the MAAC the Broncs have a record of 26-7 against Canisius.
Harold Washington led Canisius with 22 points, 20 in the second half and Alshwan Hymes added 10 points. Washington ranks third in the MAAC in scoring.
The Broncs have six of the remaining nine conference games at home. "The big basketball is ahead of us," Dempsey said, "and we're getting better. We can be a good team, we just need to get on a bit of a stretch where we are winning and believing again. Get that winning way back about us. We're capable."
Rider hosts Saint Peter's Thursday in the MAAC National Game of the Week on ESPN3.
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