Men's College Basketball
Rider University 72, Saint Peter's College 58
JERSEY CITY- According to the Chinese Horoscope we are currently in the year of the dragon. If the first week of the New Year is any indication, 2012 could be the Year of the Bronc.
Senior Brandon Penn (Philadelphia, Pa./Paul Robeson) compiled 20 points and 10 rebounds to lead Rider to a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference victory at Saint Peter's Sunday afternoon. "You never come up here to Saint Peter's and feel that you played well because they are scrappy and they defend," said Rider head coach Tommy Dempsey. "We got out of here with a good win."
The victory was the third in a row for Rider (6-11, 3-2 MAAC) and the fifth in the last six games. The Broncs are 3-0 in 2012. "There is progress," Dempsey said. "If we can continue that progress we might actually turn into a good basketball team. We're going in the right direction."
"This was a good win for us," said Penn, who has now compiled 112 points and 56 rebounds in his last six games, including four 'double-doubles.' "I got some good looks today. I always try to play within the offense."
Holding a 49-48 lead, Rider went on an 11-2 run, seven points by senior Jeff Jones (Chester, PA/Monsignor Bonner), to take a 60-50 lead with 5:45 left to play. Jones finished with 13 points and four rebounds in 24 minutes off the bench.
Trailing 47-37, SPC (3-13, 2-3 MAAC) out-scored Rider 11-2, six points by Markese Tucker, to cut the lead to 49-48 with 11:20 left to play, but that was as close as the Peacocks could get. Tucker finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Rider out-scored SPC 12-8 to start the second half, six points each by sophomore Daniel Stewart (Philadelphia, PA/Neumann-Goretti) and sophomore Anthony Myles (Dover, DE/Poly-Tech), to take a 47-37 lead with 15:16 left to play.
Stewart made seven of 12 foul shots and finished with 13 points and six rebounds. Myles made six of nine shots from the field and finished with 17 points off the bench.
"Anthony was really busting it out there today," Dempsey said. "He was giving us good energy on defense and on the glass."
Myles also grabbed four rebounds. "Anthony really stepped up for us," Penn said.
Trailing 12-11, Rider out-scored St. Peter's 15-7, six points by Jones, to take a 26-19 lead with 5:04 left in the first half, and the Broncs led 35-29 at intermission on 15 points by Penn.
Rider jumped out to a 9-2 lead, seven points by Penn.
Lamin Fulton led SPC with 19 points.
Rider and Saint Peter's have now met 50 times since the series began in 1942-43, with Rider holding a 26-24 advantage.
Also for Rider, junior Jonathon Thompson (Orlando, Fla./Jones) compiled five assists without a turnover while adding four points, four rebounds and two steals.
The Broncs out-rebounded SPC 36-35. "Winning the battle on the glass is very important to us," Dempsey said. "That has been an emphasis for us," Penn said. "We were getting out-rebounded a lot in the beginning of the season."
Since Rider joined the MAAC the Broncs are 21-14 against the Peacocks.
Rider lost by 20 points at Saint Peter's last year before Rider beat SPC in the 2010-11 season finale at Rider.
SPC, the defending MAAC Champion, snapped an eight-game losing streak with a MAAC win over Canisius Thursday.
The Broncs travel to Siena Thursday. "We have to go up there with the same mindset," Penn said, "defend and rebound. Hopefully we can get another win."
"This is a tough stretch we have coming up," Dempsey said. "To get the first one (of four consecutive road games) was really important."
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