HAMPTON, VA – All five Rider University men's basketball starters scored at least nine points as the Broncs opened the 2016-17 season with a 67-56 road win at Hampton. The Broncs never trailed and built a lead of as many as 17 points in the first half en route to the victory. Xavier Lundy (Paulsboro, NJ/Paulsboro) and Stevie Jordan (Bensalem, PA/Conwell-Egan/API) led the way with 14 points apiece. Jordan also had five assists and two blocks for Rider (1-0). 

Norville Carey (British Virgin Islands/Red Lion Christian [Southern Mississippi]) added 13 points, six rebounds and two steals. Kahlil Thomas (Parkway, FL/Blanche Ely) narrowly missed a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds. Jimmie Taylor (Branford, FL/Suwannee) also chipped in with nine points and three steals. 

Kalin Fisher led Hampton (0-1) with 14 points, while Jermaine Marrow scored 13 points. Lawrence Cooks also finished in double figures with 10 points. Charles Wilson-Fisher added six points and a game-high 15 rebounds, including six on the offensive glass.

“Credit to my seniors. They came back and won the game for us,” said Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett. “Big shots by Kahlil Thomas. Couple big rebounds by Norville. Stevie played well at times. But we made some free throws down the stretch, too, which is huge. Last year, at times, we didn't make free throws.”  

After the teams exchanged three-point field goals to open the scoring, Rider went on a 9-0 run to create separation and never relinquished the lead. In spite of two quick fouls each for the frontcourt duo of Thomas and Carey prior to the 16-minute mark of the first half, the Broncs' advantage only swelled, thanks in large part to 14 first-half points from Lundy. The lead reached its highest point, 17 points, on a Lundy putback three-point play at the 7:05 mark. Hampton cut the Broncs' lead to single digits on a fast-break bucket from AJ Astroth with 22 seconds left in the period. But Taylor beat the buzzer with a left corner three to give Rider a 36-24 lead at the half.

In addition to Lundy's team-best 14 points, four rebounds and two steals at the break, Jordan added six points, four assists and two blocks in the initial stanza. The Broncs shot 48.1 percent (13-27) in the first half, while holding the Pirates to just 27.3 percent (9-33). 

Hampton used a 10-0 run to cut the Broncs' lead to just two, 50-48, with 8:01 remaining in the second half, with Marrow scoring six points and Fisher adding four. But Carey responded with a bucket in the paint, sparking eight-straight Rider points and 15 of the next 19 as the Broncs' double-digit lead was reestablished. 

“We looked good at times. We looked bad at times. We just have to slow down,” said Baggett. “We're going to be on the road a lot. When the crowd got into it, we got sped up and then we started to break down offensively and, in particular, we started to break down defensively as well, not getting back in transition.”

 
For the game, the Broncs outshot the Pirates, 46.3 percent (25-54) to 35.1 percent (20-57), from the floor. Rider also took a 37-35 edge on the glass and a 21-13 advantage in points off turnovers. 

Rider returns to action Wednesday night, when it travels to the University of Hartford. Tipoff from West Hartford, CT, is slated for 7 p.m.