Box Score Men's College Basketball
Rider University 77, Niagara University 59
LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ— Happy Shawn Valentine's Day!
Rider senior Shawn Valentine (Sicklerville, NJ/Phelps) may not be a saint, but on Valentine's Day Sunday he was a benevolent Bronc.
Valentine compiled a career-high 17 points, six rebounds, five blocks and two assists to lead Rider to a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference victory over Niagara on Valentine's Day Sunday.
Rider (11-16, 7-9 MAAC) used a 17-2 run, seven points by Valentine, to take a 31-15 lead with 6:40 left in the first half. “Shawn got us started today,” said Rider head coach Kevin Baggett. “He did a really good job setting the tone for the game.” Rider led 41-25 on 12 first half points from Valentine.
“It was good having a quick turnaround after Friday's loss,” said Valentine, now a veteran of 122 Rider games. “We were just trying to keep the energy we had the other night. That was a bad loss (Rider led Monmouth by 14 points with less than four minutes remaining) but we were just trying to build off of the way we played in that game.”
Rider led by as many as 26 points in the victory on Sunday, Rider's second victory over Niagara in nine days.
Valentine came in off the bench to make nine of 11 foul shots along with a pair of three-point field goals. “I was able to play with confidence today,” Valentine said. “Maybe because it was Valentine's Day.”
As a team Rider made 20 of 26 foul shots. “Free throws,” Baggett said. “Making 20 of 26 is awesome.”
For Niagara (6-21, 4-12 MAAC) junior Emile Blackman scored 21 points.
Purple Eagle Matt Scott, who entered the game with six double doubles, including two games of 30 or more points, nine 20-point games and six 10-rebound games, was held to just three points and two rebounds before fouling out.
“Blackman and Scott are two very good players,” Baggett said. We did a good job getting after Scott today. Blackman got 21 but they were hard earned points.”
Five different Broncs scored in double figures.
Rider junior Kahlil Thomas (Parkway, Fla./Blanche Ely) compiled 10 points and 10 rebounds. The double double was the 11th for Thomas in the last 17 games.
Rider senior Khalil Alford (Raleigh, NC/Fishburne Military) added 12 points and five rebounds, while junior Xavier Lundy (Paulsboro, NJ/Paulsboro) contributed 13 points and three rebounds. Junior Jimmie Taylor (Branford, Fla./Suwannee) added 10 points and four rebounds.
This was the 43rd meeting between Rider and Niagara since the series started in 1991-92, and this was the rubber match. Rider now leads the series 22-21. Rider has now won 14 of the last 18 meetings with Niagara.
Rider won four out of five games before losing its last two, including a one-point loss to first place Monmouth on Friday night. “I was happy to see the way our guys responded today, coming off that tough loss the other night,” Baggett said.
The Broncs host third place Siena Friday at 7pm on ESPN3. Siena defeated second place Iona on Saturday. “We are a whole lot better than what our record indicates,” Valentine said. “We know we have talent and the ability to beat anyone in this league.”
Especially when it is your day.
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