LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Stevie Jordan (Bensalem, PA/Conwell-Egan/API) led four Broncs in double figures with 21 points as the Rider University men's basketball team defeated Niagara, 97-81, Friday night at Alumni Gymnasium. With the win, the Broncs keep pace in the crowded MAAC standings at 15-13 (10-6 MAAC), while the Purple Eagles slip to 12-16 (5-10 MAAC).  

Rider led wire-to-wire, opening the game on a 9-0 run on buckets by four different players. The Broncs extended the advantage to double-digits, 18-6, on a three-pointer and a conventional three-point play consecutively by Anthony Durham (Philadelphia, PA/Abington/Putnam Science) less than five minutes into the game and the rout was on. Another 9-0 run with a pair of Tyere Marshall (Philadelphia, PA/Martin Luther King/Putnam Science) buckets, a Frederick Scott (Munster, IN/Simeon [DePaul]) three and a Scott steal that led to a Durham dunk made it 41-18 Broncs at the 6:11 mark.

The advantage reached its high mark of the half on a Jordan three at the 1:54 mark and remained at 31 following Ajiri Ogemuno-Johnson's (Lansdowne, PA/Monsignor Bonner) bucket at the halftime buzzer. Jordan (14), Durham (11) and Marshall (11) all scored in double figures in the half, Rider's highest-scoring first half of the year and second-highest-scoring half overall this season (68 in 2^nd half at Niagara, Jan. 13). The Broncs shot 56.1 percent (23-41) from the floor in the half, including 5-of-10 from long range.

Five-straight points from Jordan to open the second half made it a 36-point Rider advantage, 63-27, and the lead reached its high point, 44 points, on Jordan Allen's (Dover, DE/Dover) three with 7:11 remaining. Niagara responded with 28 of the next 29 points to whittle the deficit to 17, 93-76, with 1:18 remaining and the closest they'd get was the final 97-81 score.

Quotes & Notes
"I just think that we're practicing better. I think guys are starting to really come along now. We're sharing the ball. 25 assists. Guys are playing together and we're just getting better. We're getting back to the things that we were doing early on."

"The energy – I saw it yesterday and I've been seeing it in practice. We're learning from the mistakes that we made. Everybody's bought in and doing what we need to do in order to be successful."

"We're just worried about us. My assistant, Ben Luber, has been doing a good job breaking our offense down, going back, just playing to everybody's strengths, opening the court up more. There were some things that we needed to clean up in our offense that kind of were bogging us down. If you notice, guys are getting the guys the ball at the right time. Stevie and those guys are getting it to Tyere in the right spots. Durham is shooting the right shots. We're getting Dimencio going now and Jordan's starting to make a couple shots. Everybody's playing to their strengths. I think before, everybody was trying to do too much and when we go back and everybody understands their strengths, that's when were at our best." – Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett

"I can see that everybody's having fun out there. Even Noah and Ryan were having fun out there."

(On Buono and O'Leary getting playing time) "It's a great feeling for the whole team. We know those guys work as hard as us in practice. They compete against us, so we know they can compete against anybody."

(On the effect of an earlier losing streak) "I think that brought us more together. Everybody had to communicate their goals. The main goal was everybody wanting to win. So when everybody wants to win, we have to come together." – Rider junior guard Stevie Jordan

- The game was the 49^th meeting in the all-time series with Niagara, with Rider holding a 27-22 lead. The Broncs have now won the last three, including a regular-season sweep this year.
- Rider led at the half for the seventh time in MAAC play, pushing its record to 5-2.
- Rider led wire-to-wire for the second time this season and the second time in as many home games (Feb. 15 vs. Monmouth).
- The Broncs (10-6) kept pace in the MAAC standings and are now tied for second place with Iona (10-6), a game back in the loss column to Canisius (10-5), which snuck by Monmouth (9-7), 60-59, in West Long Branch. Both Quinnipiac (9-6) and Siena (9-6) had the night off. Losses by Marist (7-8) and Manhattan (7-8) mean another Rider win or loss by either team would clinch the Broncs' spot in the top six for the MAAC Championships.
- The Broncs return to action a week from today, Friday, March 1, when they play host to Iona. Prior to the 7 p.m. tip, the Broncs will honor their two seniors – Anthony Durham and Karamoko Cisse – during Senior Day ceremonies.       
 
Broncs by the Numbers
- The Broncs' 58 first-half half points are their most in the first 20 minutes this season, eclipsing the 46 they scored against both Coppin State (Nov. 19) and Norfolk State (Dec. 12).
- Rider had 15 assists, while holding Niagara to zero in the first half. For the game, the Broncs took a 25-15 advantage.
- Jordan scored his 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting, including 3-of-4 from long range. He also had six assists without committing a turnover. Kimar Williams (Philadelphia, PA/Constitution [Florida International]) also had six assists.
- Entering the game 10^th in the nation in steals per game (9.1 spg.), Rider made 16 steals on 18 Niagara turnovers. Williams led the way with four steals, while Scott added three and Jordan, Dimencio Vaughn (New York, NY/Callaway/The Masters School) and Ahmad Gilbert (Philadelphia, PA/Constitution [Minnesota]) had two apiece.
- Scott and Vaughn led the Broncs with eight rebounds each. Vaughn finished with 11 points, while Scott had eight.
- Marshall (14 points) and Durham (13 points) rounded out the Broncs' double-figures scorers.
- Allen had two of Rider's five blocks, matching his career high.
- Gilbert matched his career-high of four assists, established in his freshman year at Minnesota against Illinois on Feb. 28, 2016.
- Rider outshot Niagara, 48.0 percent (36-75) to 39.0 percent (30-77) from the floor, including a 38.2 percent (13-34) to 29.0 percent (9-31) edge from long range.
- Niagara took a 50-48 edge on the boards.
- Jordan's two steals tied him with Jonathon Thompson '13 for eighth all-time at Rider with 138 for his career. Next on the list is Lee Nesmith '88 with 147.  
- Rider outscored Niagara, 46-40, in the paint, marking the 13^th time in 16 league games that it's outscored its opponent in the paint. The Broncs have now outscored league foes, 614-502, in the paint for an average of +7.0 points per game.