FAIRFIELD, CT – The Rider University men's basketball team led just twice in its MAAC opener Thursday night at Fairfield – the first points and the last – as the Broncs defeated the Stags, 83-82. In between, the Stags built a lead as large as 17 points early in the second half, but five Broncs scored in double figures, including Tyere Marshall (Philadelphia, PA/Martin Luther King/Putnam Science), whose baby hook with 5.9 seconds left proved to be the game winner. The Broncs improved to 6-7 (1-0 MAAC) with the win, while the Stags are now 3-10 (0-1 MAAC).  

After the Broncs opened the scoring with a pair of free throws, Fairfield scored the next 10 points and shot 58.8 percent (20-34) in the period to take a 49-35 cushion at the half. Kimar Williams (Philadelphia, PA/Constitution [Florida International]) led the Broncs with eight points at the break.

The Stags' lead swelled to 17 on a Landon Taliaferro three-pointer 36 seconds into the second half. Rider scored 12 of the next 13 points to pull to within six and later made it a three-point game on Frederick Scott's (Munster, IN/Simeon [DePaul]) fast-break bucket at the 12:16 mark. But the Stags again pushed their lead to double-digits on the strength of two of Taliaferro's eight three-pointers. Still down 12 with 6:48 left, the Broncs outscored Fairfield, 15-2, the rest of the way.

Down one with possession and a four-second differential from game to shot clock, Rider ran a weave and Stevie Jordan (Bensalem, PA/Conwell-Egan/API) fed Marshall at the left block. The junior center shot left-handed over his right shoulder for the game winner with 5.9 seconds left. Fairfield turned it over with 1.7 seconds left and Rider's full-court inbounds pass ran out the clock.  
 
Quotes & Notes
(On what allowed Rider to win the game) "Guys' heart. Guys never gave up. A couple of guys struggled early and never gave up. They battled, came back in the second half. It started with Kimar Williams and Stevie Jordan both doing a really good job in the second half of getting after their guards, speeding up Alvarez a little bit, who I think is going to be fantastic. Those guys shot the ball really well. Once we were able to force their guards out of rhythm a little bit, I think it took those guys out of finding the open guys for shots."

(On the final play) "I didn't want to call timeout. I didn't want them to set up in something different. We went to a little bit of weave action into a quick ball screen with Tyere. Stevie did a good job finding him for a lay-up and Ty, good job of finishing through some traffic."  – Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett

"In the beginning, I was putting a little too much pressure on myself and trying to do everything too fast and not doing it step by step. My coaches kept talking to me and giving me confidence. Now I feel a little more comfortable out there."

"We needed this win. The best part about it is we came back, we fought and played defense to get back. This gets us kick started." – Redshirt junior guard Kimar Williams

"We were just playing our regular offense – four out, one in. Stevie did a great job of coming off and seeing it. That was his vision. That was big for him to see that. We were on the same page, he threw a great pass and I finished it."

(On making the game winner after missing a would-be game winner against Cal State Northridge) "I couldn't stop thinking about that when I missed it against Cal State Northridge. That was big for my confidence."

"During non-conference, you try to get better. But when conference play starts, it's a new season. You're zero and zero and this is when everything counts." – Junior center Tyere Marshall

- The game was the 65^th in the all-time series with Fairfield. While the Broncs have won the last three, the Stags lead the series, 34-31.
- The win was Rider's first in a MAAC opener in the last four seasons.
- Rider won for the first time this season when trailing at the half. They'd lost their first seven when trailing after 20 minutes.
- Rider played its third-straight game without All-MAAC performer Dimencio Vaughn (New York, NY/Callaway/The Masters School) due to injury.
- Rider concluded a six-game stretch away from home in which it traveled through three time zones and five cities, covering 9,545 miles.
 
Broncs by the Numbers
- The win was Rider's first when allowing 80 or more points this season. The Broncs are now 1-6 this year when allowing 80 or more points.   
- Williams matched his career high of 16 points, hitting on 6-of-11 from the floor. The redshirt junior established his career high for Florida International on Jan. 12, 2017, at UTEP.
- Jordan led five Broncs in double figures with 19 points to go along with five assists and four steals. He hit 7-of-11 from the floor and 5-of-6 from the free-throw line.
- Jordan jumped two spots on the Broncs' all-time career assists list into sixth, passing Ryan Thompson (393) and Justin Robinson (394). He now has 397 career dimes.
- Scott compiled Rider's first double-double of the year with 11 points and 13 rebounds, including a team-high four on the offensive glass. He led the Broncs with seven double-doubles a year ago.
- Ajiri Ogemuno-Johnson (Lansdowne, PA/Monsignor Bonner) scored a season-high 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the floor and 2-of-3 from the free-throw line. It was the freshman's second double-figure performance of the year (10 points vs. Norfolk State, Dec. 12).
- Marshall rounded out the double-figures scorers with 12 points to go along with eight rebounds, three steals and two blocks.
- Rider won in spite of being outshot, 57.1 percent (32-56) to 48.5 percent (33-68) from the floor, including 46.4 percent (13-28) to 28.6 percent (2-7) from long range. It was Rider's first win this season when an opponent shot over 50 percent (1-4).
- Rider attempted fewer than 16 three-point field goals for the first time this season.
- Rider picked up where it left off last season in paint production, outscoring the Stags, 58-38, in the paint. The Broncs outscored MAAC opponents, 730-505, in the paint last season, a per game advantage of 40.6-28.1. The Broncs' high in the span was 66, achieved twice at Niagara and against Iona, while also scoring 58 at Manhattan.
- The Broncs outrebounded Fairfield, 37-33, including a 14-5 margin on the offensive glass.