LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Dimencio Vaughn (New York, NY/Callaway/The Masters School [Ole Miss]) and Mervin James (St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands/Pebblebrook [North Alabama]) scored 19 points apiece as the Rider University men's basketball team erased a 14-point halftime deficit to edge Kutztown, 78-76, in an exhibition game Saturday afternoon on Alumni Gym. Vaughn completed a double-double with a game-high 12 rebounds to go along with three steals in his return to Alumni Gym following a year at Ole Miss.

Kutztown came out on fire in the first half, shooting 57.7 percent (15-26), including 66.7 percent (8-12) from long range to build a lead of as many as 17 points with less than two minutes left in the period. Still a 14-point Golden Bears lead at the break, Rider on a 7-0 run to cut the deficit in half. Later, a 9-0 run would push the Broncs ahead, 57-53. James started the run with a lay-up and punctuated it at the 9:44 mark with a dunk off a press break.

Kutztown wouldn't go away, however, making it a one-possession game for much of the final 10 minutes. Ajiri Ogemuno-Johnson (Delta State, Nigeria/Monsignor Bonner) gave Rider some separation with a three-point play with 2:35 remaining. But the Golden Bears continued to hang around and had a heave inside the half-court stripe that would've won it, but it would not fall.

Quotes & Notes
"It was a good game. I'd prefer to play somebody who's going to give us a good fight and Kutztown definitely did that. I think those guys have a chance to be pretty good. They're well-coached. I'm never going to be mad about a win. We struggled last year to get wins, so I appreciate every win. And we'll figure out what we have to do to get better." – Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett

- Rider played the game without All-MAAC guard Dwight Murray, Jr. (Austell, GA/Pebblebrook [Incarnate Word]) due to a minor injury.
- Nine Broncs saw action, including four who weren't on the 2020-21 roster and three – James, Sedrick Altman (Rialto, CA/Colony [Pepperdine]) and Corey McKeithan (Windsor, CT/Windsor) – seeing their first action with the Broncs. Vaughn, James and Altman transferred in, while McKeithan missed all of last season due to injury. Vaughn played at Rider from 2016-17 through 2019-20.
- The Broncs open the 2021-22 season Tuesday at Duquesne. The 7 p.m. tip-off from Pittsburgh will be broadcast live on ESPN+.

Broncs by the Numbers
- James scored 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting, including 1-of-2 from long range and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line. He also grabbed five rebounds and dished out two assists.
- Vaughn hit 6-of-15 from the floor, including 4-of-7 from long range and made 3-of-4 attempts from the free-throw line. Six of his 12 rebounds came on the offensive glass. He also made three steals and blocked three shots.
- Allen Powell (Philadelphia, PA/La Salle College H.S.) added 15 points on 7-of-13 shootings. He also had four assists.
- McKeithan scored 11 points in his Rider debut.
- Altman dished out a game-high five assists.  
- Kutztown outshot the Broncs, 46.2 percent (24-52) to 45.6 percent (31-68) from the floor, 45.0 percent (9-20) to 31.9 percent (6-19) from long range and 73.1 percent (19-26) to 52.6 percent (10-19) from the free-throw line.
- Rider outshot Kutztown, 52.9 percent (18-34) to 34.6 percent (9-26), from the floor in the second half, including a 50.0 percent (5-10) to 12.5 percent (1-8) margin from long range.
- The Broncs outrebounded the Golden Bears, 38-33, including a 16-7 edge on the offensive glass.
- Rider outscored Kutztown, 44-24, in the paint, 13-4 on second chances and 26-14 on fast breaks.