Men's College Basketball

Santa Clara University 68, Rider University 60

ORLANDO, FLORIDA— The biggest difference between the Rider Broncs and the Santa Clara Broncos was obvious. It was the missing 'O'.

The Rider 'O' (offense), particularly the outside shooting, continued to struggle Sunday in the final game of the Orlando Classic.

“We just didn't shoot the ball well,” said Rider head coach Kevin Baggett.

Rider (2-5) missed its first 12 three-point field goal attempts and made just six of 24 for the game in an eight-point loss to Santa Clara (3-4).

“It is going to be very difficult to win a game without Teddy and Zed scoring,” Baggett said.

Rider's two leading scorers on the season so far, junior Teddy Okereafor (London, England/VCU) and junior Zedric Sadler (Detroit, Mich/Cody), were a combined 0 for 15 from the field, including eight missed three-pointers. The pair came into the game combining for 21.5 points per game, 21.5 more points than what they scored Sunday.

“After you miss a shot you have to believe the next one is going to go in,” Baggett said. “I don't think our guys believe that right now.”

Rider made just 10 of its 56 three-point field goal attempts in Orlando.

Santa Clara out-scored Rider 15-6 to start the second half, five points by Brandon Clark, to take a 41-30 lead with 13:30 left to play.

“In parts of the game today we were so worried about our offense we forgot about playing defense,” Baggett said.

Clark finished with 23 points. His backcourt partner, Jared Brownridge, finished with a game-high 27 points. The two combined to make eight of 15 three-pointers.

Santa Clara used a 13-4 run over the final 5:40 of the first half, seven points by Clark, to take a 26-24 lead at halftime.

The Broncs overcame an 8-0 deficit to take an 18-11 lead on six points off the bench from sophomore Xavier Lundy (Paulsboro, NJ/Paulsboro) and six points from senior Matt Lopez (Erial, NJ/Washington Twp.).

Lopez finished with 14 points, matching his career high, making six of seven field goal attempts.  Lundy compiled eight points, three rebounds and a pair of steals in just 10 minutes of work.

Rider cut the lead to 59-57 with 1:30 left on a three-point field goal by sophomore Jimmie Taylor (Branford, Fla./Suwannee), but that was as close as the Broncs could get.  Taylor finished with 18 points, 16 coming in the second half.

Santa Clara out-scored Rider 9-3 in the final minute of play, making seven of seven foul shots. The Broncos were 10 of 12 from the foul line, while Rider was just four of seven.

Also for Rider, sophomore Kahlil Thomas (Parkway, Fla./Blanche Ely) added 10 points and three rebounds in 17 minutes of action, and graduate Anthony D'Orazio (Camden, NJ/Camden Catholic) contributed five points, six rebounds and a pair of steals in 25 minutes off the bench.

“It's a long season,” Baggett said.  “We'll get back to work and figure it out.”

Rider returns home to host Central Connecticut State on Wednesday.

The letter 'O” is the fourth most common letter in the English alphabet.  What is not very common is the way the Broncs have been shooting lately.

Rider looks to get its 'O' back starting Wednesday, in the Broncs' ZOO.

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