Men's College Basketball

Wagner College 65, Rider University 64

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ— The term 'X-Factor' describes a hard-to-define quality or influence, a special quality that catapults one to success and often causes an unexpected change in events.

Sometimes, it just isn't enough.

Despite a career-high 22 points and seven rebounds from Rider junior Xavier Lundy (Paulsboro, NJ/Paulsboro) the Broncs lost to Wagner Tuesday evening.

“A tough loss,” said Rider head coach Kevin Baggett. 

Lundy scored with 43 seconds left to cut the lead to 63-62, stole the ball, and scored to give Rider a 64-63 lead with 12 seconds left.  Lundy then blocked a shot with 6.2 seconds left, but Wagner's Dwaun Anderson dunked an offensive rebound with 2.6 left for the final score. That was the12th and final lead change of the game.

“A lack of discipline when it comes to blocking out, and it cost us,” Baggett said. “It is disappointing because we came back to get the lead.”

“This is probably the toughest loss because it came down to one play,” Lundy said.  “At home in front of a good crowd, we were playing better. It seemed everything was on our side until the last play.”

Anderson finished with 12 points and five rebounds.

The victory was the fifth in a row for Wagner (5-2).

With the score tied at 56-56 Seahawk Japhet Kadji made a three-point field goal and Corey Henson made two foul shots with 2:47 left to give Wagner a 61-56 lead. Kadji finished with 11 points off the bench. Henson finished with 13 points and four assists.

Rider junior Kahlil Thomas (Parkway, Fla./Blanche Ely) made two foul shots and Lundy followed with two more foul shots to cut the lead to 61-60 with 1:31 remaining.

Thomas finished with nine points and five rebounds.

Anderson scored with 1:00 left for a 63-60 Wagner lead.

Rider (1-8) out-scored Wagner 11-2 to start the second half, six points by junior Jimmie Taylor (Branford, Fla./Suwannee), to take a 43-39 lead with 14:17 left to play. Taylor finished with 11 points, making three of five three-pointers. “Jimmie is starting to make some shots,” Baggett said.

Wagner scored the final nine points of the first half, five points by Henson, to take a 37-32 lead at the half.

The score was tied at 24-24 before Rider out-scored Wagner 8-4, six points by Lundy, to take a 32-28 lead with 3:30 left in the first half.

Trailing 11-9, Rider out-scored Wagner 9-2, five points by sophomore Kenny Grant (East Orange, NJ/Hyde), to take an 18-13 lead with 13:33 left in the first half.

Both teams had 35 rebounds and both teams made six of 21 three-point field goals. “There are some positives,” Baggett said.  “We're getting better. We're competing. Guys are sharing the ball.”

Rider had a season-high 16 assists, led by graduate student Teddy Okereafor (London, England/VCU) who had a career-high nine.

Also for Rider, freshman Kealen Ives (Providence, RI/Classical) compiled six points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals.  “He's getting guys the ball,” Baggett said of his rookie point guard.  “He's getting into the lane, creating breakdowns.”

Rider and Wagner are former Northeast Conference rivals.  The Broncs defeated Wagner 76-71 last year on Staten Island and 79-58 in 2013-14 at Rider, the first meeting between Wagner and Rider since Rider left the NEC following the 1996-97 season. Rider holds a 17-5 advantage in the series that began in 1964-65. Rider defeated Wagner in the 1993 NEC Title Game.

Rider travels to Charleston Southern for a Saturday evening game. “We just need to stay positive and try to move forward,” Lundy said.

X-Men are superheroes born with superhuman abilities. Rider's X-man, Xavier Lundy, does not have superhuman abilities, but he did everything humanly possible to be a hero Tuesday night.

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