LAS VEGAS, NV – Frederick Scott (Munster, IN/Simeon [DePaul]) led the Rider University men's basketball team with 17 points and eight rebounds off the bench as the Broncs defeated Northern Colorado, 74-67, in the Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic Mid-Major Bracket Saturday afternoon at Orleans Arena. With the win, the Broncs even their record at 5-5, while the Bears are now 6-4.

The Broncs opened up a double-digit cushion on the strength of a 9-0 first-half run and led by 10, 39-29, at the break. After Rider extended its lead to 12 early in the second half and the cushion remained 11 with just over 11 minutes remaining, Northern Colorado scored 16 of the next 19 points to take its first lead since the 15:09 mark of the first half, with 6:33 left in regulation.

The lead was short-lived, however, as Ahmad Gilbert (Philadelphia, PA/Constitution [Minnesota]) converted on the other end 16 seconds later and the Broncs would not trail again. Northern Colorado tied the game at 63-63 and 67-67, but the Broncs scored the final seven points to seal the win. Anthony Durham (Philadelphia, PA/Abington/Putnam Science) made a pair of free throws with 1:45 left to put the Broncs on top for good and Scott followed with a lay-up at the 1:07 mark. 1-of-2 from the line by Devine Eke (Plainfield, NJ/Union Catholic [Maine]) made it a five-point lead and Gilbert's two free throws with seven seconds remaining wrapped up the victory.   
 
Quotes & Notes
"Give credit to the guys that played the second half that helped us win. We're still not a team right now and that's the unfortunate part. But we'll coach the guys that want to be coached and the guys that want to be a team and want to win."

(On Ahmad Gilbert) "I thought J.R. really did some good things. This is something that we expected out of him. Now, with school being out, he can focus more on basketball and getting in shape. He still needs to get in shape. But this is what we expected of him and I'm proud of him for stepping into a situation here that wasn't great. We were leaking oil and he found a way to kind of plug the hole for us." – Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett

- The game was the first in the all-time series between Rider and Northern Colorado.
- 2018 CIT Champion Northern Colorado, which won 26 games a year ago, won six of its first seven games to begin this season.  
- Today's game was the third in a four-game, three-city, two time zone road trip in which Rider will travel 8,731 miles in the Las Vegas Classic.
- The Broncs return to action tomorrow, when they face Cal State Northridge in the Las Vegas Classic Mid-Major Championship Game at Orleans Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:30 (ET)/1:30 p.m. (PT).
 
Broncs by the Numbers
- Rider shot 53.9 percent (15-28) in the first half and 47.2 percent (26-55) for the game. The Broncs outshot Northern Colorado, which shot 44.1 percent (26-59).
- The Broncs are now 5-0 when leading at the half. By contrast, Rider has lost all five games in which it has trailed after 20 minutes.
- Scott led four Broncs in double-figures scoring with 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting.
- Durham was near-perfect shooting the ball, hitting all three field-goal attempts, including a pair of three-pointers, along with 6-of-7 from the free-throw line for 14 points.
- Dimencio Vaughn (New York, NY/Callaway/The Masters School) had 13 points before departing due to injury after 27 minutes played.
- Jordan Allen (Dover, DE/Dover) rounded out the double-figures scorers for Rider with 12 points, including a pair of trifectas.
- Rider made 16 steals and outscored the Bears, 29-18, off turnovers.