Box Score Men's College Basketball
Siena College 63, Rider University 52
ALBANY, NY—When former Tampa Bay football coach John McCay was asked after a loss what he thought about his team's execution, he quipped “I'm in favor of it.”
Rider head coach Kevin Baggett was not calling for capital punishment here in the Capital Region Thursday night, but he was not a happy coach.
“I am really upset with the way we executed,” Baggett said.
Siena's 6'8” Javion Ogunyemi compiled 19 points and six rebounds to lead the Saints to a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference win over Rider Thursday night.
Rider (6-13, 2-6 MAAC) led 48-47 with 8:00 left to play. Over the last eight minutes, however, it was all Siena, as the Saints out-scored Rider 16-4. “The last seven or eight minutes we had very poor execution, and we turned the ball over.”
A four-point play by Nico Clareth with 6:44 left gave Siena a 51-48 lead. That was the 12th and final lead change of the game. Clareth finished with 14 points off the bench, along with five rebounds and three assists.
Rider used a 9-5 run, six points by senior Khalil Alford (Raleigh, NC/Fishburne Military), to take a 48-47 lead with 7:22 left to play. Alford finished with a career-high 16 points.
Rider graduate student Teddy Okereafor (London, England/VCU) added 14 points.
Siena (12-7, 5-3 MAAC) led 32-30 at the half.
Five different Broncs scored in an 11-0 run that gave Rider a 14-10 lead midway through the first half.
Siena jumped out to a 10-3 lead, eight points by Ogunyemi.
Rider and Siena split the series last year, with Rider winning by 12 points in Lawrenceville and the Saints winning here in Albany by seven points. Siena swept the series in 2013-14 and Rider swept the series in 2012-13.
Siena is a five-time MAAC Champion, winning three conference titles in the last eight years, the last one in 2010.
Siena has out-rebounded 14 of its first 18 opponents and ranks in the national top 30 in rebound margin, but on Thursday Rider held a 38-36 advantage in rebounds.
Rider junior Kahlil Thomas (Parkway, Fla./Blanche Ely), who ranks third in the MAAC in rebounding, had a game-high 11, along with seven points.
The Broncs made just two of 20 three-point shots. “We have too many guys trying to win it shooting threes,” Baggett said. “We're not shooting the ball well.”
Rider returns home Sunday to host Quinnipiac at 4pm. The Broncs will be looking for better execution.
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