FAIRFIELD, CT – Dontrell McQuarter (Baton Rouge, LA/Believe Prep [Hinds C.C.]) scored a team-high 12 points and Ajiri Ogemuno-Johnson (Lansdowne, PA/Monsignor Bonner) narrowly missed a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds, but the Rider University men's basketball team fell at Fairfield, 72-56, Saturday evening at Alumni Hall. With the loss, the two teams split the weekend series. Rider moves to 2-7 (2-4 MAAC), while the Stags are now 2-9 (2-4 MAAC).

The Broncs got out to a hot start, scoring 13 of the first 15 points, including five from Dwight Murray, Jr. (Austell, GA/Pebblebrook [Incarnate Word]) and four from McQuarter.  Fairfield gradually whittled away at the Broncs' advantage until going on a 19-4 run late in the period to take a 37-31 lead at halftime.

The Stags scored the first five points of the second half to extend to a double-digit lead that grew to 12. McQuarter answered with six-straight Rider points to cut the deficit in half at 47-41 with 13:33 remaining and the Broncs twice got the deficit down to five. But the Stags used a late 10-0 run to put the game out of reach.

Quotes & Notes
"I think too many guys are trying to do too much. Instead of continuing to do it as a team, we try to do it as individuals and next thing you know, we've missed those four in a row and we're back down by 10 again."

"We certainly need (Dwight Murray, Jr. and Christian Ings). But we need other guys to step up, too. We can't always have DJ and Chris be the guys. We need other guys coming off the bench to help us. And some of the other guys starting and playing a lot of minutes have to step up more. We have to play better defense. We have to rebound. We have to execute. The second day is tough. But again, we have to do a better job." – Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett

- Rider had won the last six meetings with Fairfield. The Stags retake the all-time series lead, 35-34.  
- The two teams split this season's series. The last time the two teams split a season series was the 2011-12 season, when each team won on its home court.
 
Broncs by the Numbers
- McQuarter made 5-of-8 attempts from the floor to finish in double figures for the third time in the last four games.
- Ogemuno-Johnson made 5-of-6 attempts and is now shooting a team-best 68.6 percent on the year.
- Murray, Rodney Henderson, Jr. (Carson, CA/Avon Old Farms [CSUN]) and Jeremiah Pope (Clinton, NC/Clinton [Brunswick C.C.]) added seven points apiece. Murray also had six rebounds and two assists.  
- Fairfield took a 45.9 percent (28-61) to 45.3 percent (24-53) edge from the floor, including a 45.5 percent (10-22) to 18.8 percent (3-16) cushion from beyond the three-point arc.
- Just 17 attempts combined came from the free-throw line, with the Broncs making 5-of-6 (83.3 percent) to Fairfield's 6-of-11 (.545).
- Fairfield edged Rider on the glass by a 33-31 margin for the second-straight night.