LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Ajiri Ogemuno-Johnson (Lansdowne, PA/Monsignor Bonner) posted career highs of 16 points and eight rebounds, but the Rider University men's basketball team fell to Iona, 70-56, Friday night at Alumni Gym. With the loss, the Broncs fall to 1-4 (1-2 MAAC), while the Gaels are now 3-3 (2-1 MAAC).

After Christian Ings (Philadelphia, PA/Neumann-Goretti) opened the scoring, Iona scored the next seven points and 21 of 26 to build a 21-7 lead at the 11:42 mark. Rodney Henderson, Jr. (Carson, CA/Avon Old Farms [CSUN]) was the bright spot for the Broncs in the period, making five of his first six attempts for 13 points in the half. Rider closed to within four on a Tyrel Bladen (Coatesville, PA/Coatesville) dunk off a Henderson drive and dish with less than three minutes left in the half before Iona rebuilt its lead to 35-27 at the half.

Iona opened the second half on an 8-0 run and maintained a double-digit lead for much of the second half. Rider used an 8-0 run to close to within nine at the 7:04 mark. But the Broncs could draw no closer.  

Quotes & Notes
"If we don't come out and defend and play with energy, they're going to walk away with a sweep. We must come out and play with energy, first and foremost. Effort. That's not a skill to come out and just be ready to go. We weren't ready to go." – Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett

- Iona leads the all-time series with Rider, 42-26, including wins in each of the last five.   
- Rider was facing a Rick Pitino-led team for the fourth time. The first came in December 1986, when he was Providence's Head Coach, before the Broncs faced his Kentucky Wildcats in the 1993 NCAA Tournament and the 1995 ECAC Holiday Festival.
 
Broncs by the Numbers
- Ogemuno-Johnson established a new career high of 16 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the floor and 6-of-6 from the free-throw line. He also grabbed eight rebounds to match his career high, established in the season opener at Syracuse. His previous career high of 12 points came in his freshman year of 2018-19 against Fairfield.
- Henderson scored all 13 of his points in the first half. He added a team-high three steals.
- After scoring in double figures in each of his first four games with the Broncs, Dwight Murray, Jr. (Austell, GA/Pebblebrook [Incarnate Word]) was held to six points on 2-of-9 shooting. He still managed six rebounds and six assists.
- Ings also chipped in with eight points and three assists.
- Iona outshot the Broncs, 46.7 percent (28-60) to 42.0 percent (21-50) from the floor. The Broncs took a 26.7 percent (4-15) to 19.0 percent (4-21) edge from long range and an 83.3 percent (10-12) to 58.8 percent (10-17) advantage from the free-throw line.
- The Gaels took a 36-28 edge on the glass and outscored Rider, 42-26, in the paint.