GAMES 8/9 – Friday/Saturday, January 1/2, 2021
Rider Broncs (1-6, 1-3 MAAC) vs. Fairfield Stags (1-8, 1-3 MAAC)
Location: Fairfield, CT – George Bisacca Court at Alumni Hall
Tip: 5 p.m.
Live Video – ESPN+ (Friday) | ESPN3 (Saturday)
Live Audio – 107.7 The Bronc
Live Stats – FairfieldStags.com
Twitter – Twitter.com/RiderMBB
 
What You Need To Know
- Rider resumes league play this weekend, when it travels to Fairfield.
- The Broncs last scheduled game against Coppin State was cancelled Tuesday.
- Dwight Murray, Jr. has been an all-around bright spot so far this season, averaging 13.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.0 steals per game, including a near triple-double of 20 points, a career-high 15 rebounds and seven assists in a win at Manhattan on Dec. 11.
- Dontrell McQuarter erupted for 20 points and eight rebounds on Dec. 19 against Iona. He made 7-of-13 field-goal attempts.
- Jordan Smalls scored 9 points in 10 minutes in his collegiate debut vs. NJIT.
- Rider has won the last five meetings with Fairfield to close the Stags' lead in the all-time series to 34-33. In recent history, Rider swept the season series in 2013-14 and 2014-15, the Stags swept the 2015-16 and 2016-17 series and Rider has swept through 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20. The last time the two teams split a season series was the 2011-12 season, when each team won on its home court.
- Fairfield is 1-8, having fallen in its last three games following a win in its second game of a weekend series with Iona on Dec. 12. Taj Benning has led the way offensively for Fairfield at 12.2 points per game, while Richmond transfer Jake Woicik has contributed 10.3 points per game over three games since being granted immediate eligibility by the NCAA. Caleb Green (9.1 ppg.), Jalen Leach (8.9 ppg.) and Jesus Cruz (8.0 ppg.) have also made strong scoring contributions, while Supreme Cook (6.2 ppg., 5.8 rpg.) is the Stags' top rebounder.
- Rider returned just four letterwinners from last year's team that finished 18-12 and was the No. 3 seed in the MAAC Tournament before it was cancelled.
- The Broncs are tasked with replacing 87.6% of its scoring from a year ago, second most in the nation behind only Kentucky (94.0%).
- Ninth-year Head Coach Kevin Baggett's teams have posted a 142-122 record. Baggett won MAAC Coach of the Year in 2015 and 2018.
- Only John Carpenter (292) and Thomas Leyden (187) have more wins at Rider than Baggett.
- 107.7 The Bronc will broadcast the games live, with Tom Trimarco and Demara Barnes on the call. Fans can listen online at www.1077TheBronc.com on WRRC1, and on your mobile device, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Download our free WRRC1 app in the Google Play and Apple App stores. You can also ask Alexa to "Play 1077 The Bronc Retro" when you download the WRRC1 Alexa skill.