Box Score Men's College Basketball
Rider University 82, Manhattan College 79 OT
RIVERDALE, NY— Icy road conditions had the bridges to New York City closed Sunday morning. The game was on, however, so the Rider Broncs had to find a way.
In the game with Manhattan College Sunday afternoon, the Broncs again found a way, to defeat the defending champs.
Rider found a way to do what it has been trying to do all season, place five players in double digit scoring. “We found a way today against a very good team,” said Rider head coach Kevin Baggett. “We had to go get it. I am very proud of this team, beating Manhattan on its home court.”
Junior Teddy Okereafor (London, England/VCU) scored 16 points, 14 after halftime, to lead Rider to an overtime Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference victory at Manhattan Sunday afternoon.
Okereafor also added seven assists, six steals and four rebounds in 36 minutes of work. “I told Teddy before the game to just go out and play, and he sure did,” Baggett said.
Also for Rider (12-7, 6-2 MAAC), junior Khalil Alford (Raleigh, NC/Fishburne Military) came in off the bench to make seven of 10 shots from the field, finishing with a career-high 14 points, four in overtime.
“One of the officials after the game told me Khalil Alford was the MVP of the game, and he was right,” Baggett said. “He's a guy who can shoot mid-range shots.”
The score was tied at 74-74 at the end of regulation.
Alford gave Rider leads of 78-77 with 3:40 left in overtime and 80-77 with 29 seconds to play. “I just wanted to come in and give us some energy,” said Alford, a 75-game veteran. “I get a lot of shots up in practice, so today once I made one I got into a groove.”
Rider sophomore Jimmie Taylor (Branford, Fla./Suwannee) compiled 15 points and five rebounds, while graduate Anthony D'Orazio (Camden, NJ/Camden Catholic) added 12 points and five assists and despite foul trouble senior Matt Lopez (Erial, NJ/Washington Twp.) contributed 11 points and eight rebounds in 29 minutes of action.
“We got Matt back in late and he helped us,” Baggett said.
Lopez made a lay-up to give Rider a 76-74 lead to start the overtime.
“It was a real team win today,” Baggett said, “and this one should give us some confidence.”
The victory was Rider's 10th in its last 12 games. The Broncs are now 7-3 in away games, including winning the last six on the road.
The loss snapped Manhattan's four-game winning streak.
Trailing 62-56, Rider went on a 9-2 run, seven points by Okereafor, to take a 65-64 lead with 5:35 left to play.
Manhattan (8-9, 5-3 MAAC) used an 8-0 run, keyed by back-to-back three-pointers by Shane Richards, to take a 46-43 lead five minutes into the second half. Richards finished with 21 points.
The Broncs led 37-36 at the half.
Rider used a 10-0 run, four points each by Lopez and D'Orazio, to take a 30-27 lead with 4:27 left in the first half, Rider's first lead of the game.
Manhattan scored the first seven points of the game, four by Emmy Andujar, and led 22-15 mid-way through the first half. Andujar finished with 21 points.
The Broncs and Jaspers have now met 44 times since the series began in 1929-30, with Rider winning 23, including 11 of the last 16. Since Rider joined the MAAC, the Broncs are 22-15 against the Jaspers, including 1-1 in post-season.
The Broncs return to Alumni Gym to host Iona January 22 in a battle for first place. “We're excited to play them at home,” Baggett said. “They beat us in December but we are a different team now. We're ready to go. If you want to be the best you have to beat the best.”
Somehow, Rider will find a way.
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