Box Score Men's College Basketball
Princeton University 64, Rider University 56
LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ— Friday the 13th is also known to some as “Black Friday.” On Friday, November 13, it seemed more like Orange and Black Friday.
The Orange and Black Tigers of Princeton University defeated the cross-town rival Broncs in the 2015-16 season opener Friday in Rider's Alumni Gymnasium in front of a sold out crowd and a regional television audience.
“Princeton played well and we did not play very smart,” said Rider head coach Kevin Baggett. “We just have to play smarter as a team.”
“This is a very good Rider team,” said Princeton head coach Mitch Henderson. “I'm glad to get out of here with a quality road victory.”
For Princeton (1-0), freshman guard Devin Cannady compiled a game-high 17 points in 23 minutes of action off the bench, adding five rebounds. “I saw him a couple of times on the recruiting trail and I knew Princeton had a good player coming in,” Baggett said of Cannady. “He's going to be good.”
For Rider (0-1), senior Shawn Valentine (Sicklerville, NJ/Phelps) compiled a career-high 15 points and nine rebounds, while junior Kahlil Thomas (Parkway, Fla./Blanche Ely) added 12 points and five rebounds.
Princeton used a 16-2 run, five points by Henry Caruso, to take a 50-39 lead with 8:31 left to play. Caruso finished with nine points.
Rider out-scored Princeton 13-4 to start the second half, seven points and an assist by junior Xavier Lundy (Paulsboro, NJ/Paulsboro), to take its first lead of the game, 35-34, with 15:54 left to play. Lundy finished with nine points, all in the second half. “We locked in on defense during that run,” Valentine said.
Rider scored the final eight points of the first half, four points by senior Zedric Sadler (Detroit, Mich./Cody), to cut the Tiger lead to 30-22 at intermission. Sadler finished with seven points and three assists off the bench.
The Tigers jumped out to a 12-2 lead, six points by Spencer Weisz, as Rider missed its first eight shots. Princeton led 30-14 with 4:00 left in the first half. “You can't get down by 16 to Princeton,” Baggett said. “They are really good and you spend too much energy coming back from such a deficit.”
Weisz finished with 13 points and eight assists.
Rider's starting backcourt was a combined 4 for 18 from the field. “They were picked Preseason All-MAAC and if we want to be good they have to play like All-MAAC players,” Baggett said. “I don't think either one of them played very well tonight.”
The last time Rider began the season with a home game the Broncs defeated Robert Morris in the 2012-13 season opener.
Despite being just 6.6 miles apart, Rider and Princeton have only met 15 times since the series began in 1931-32 with Princeton winning 12.
The Tigers have won the last four meetings since the series was resumed in 2011, including 64-58 last year in the season opener. “We lost our first game last year too,” said Baggett, the 2015 MAAC Coach of the Year, “so we aren't going to panic.”
Rider finished in second place in the MAAC last year with 21 wins and is picked to finish third this year in the 11-team league.
The last time Rider beat Princeton was during the 2002-03 season, a 62-59 victory at the Sovereign Bank Arena (now the Sun Center).
The only other time Princeton has played in Alumni Gym was during the 2011-12 season, a 72-71 overtime Tiger win.
Rider travels to La Salle for a 7pm game Tuesday. “We've got to come back, just keep on building,” said Valentine. “The whole season is going to be a grind. We have to continue to grind. We have a lot more work to do.”
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