PITTSBURGH, PA – Dwight Murray, Jr. (Austell, GA/Pebblebrook [Incarnate Word]) scored 17 points, but a late 12-0 Duquesne run sent the Dukes past the Rider University men's basketball team, 73-61, in Tuesday night's season opener at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse. With the loss, the Broncs start the season at 0-1, while the Dukes are now 1-0.

The Broncs absorbed an early 9-0 Duquesne run and led for much of the first half. Balanced shooting, scoring, rebounding and ball handling allowed the Broncs to take a lead of as many as four points in the period and maintain a 33-30 at the half. The Broncs outscored the Dukes, 18-8 in the paint in the first half. Dimencio Vaughn (New York, NY/Callaway/The Masters School [Ole Miss]) scored a team-high nine points in the half, while Murray and Corey McKeithan (Windsor, CT/Windsor) had eight points apiece. Ajiri Ogemuno-Johnson (Delta State, Nigeria/Monsignor Bonner) grabbed nine rebounds in the period, while Vaughn had five boards.

The teams continued to trade punches early in the second half, with Duquesne grabbing the lead back with five-straight points, before Rider took it back on a three-point play from Mervin James (St. Thomas, USVI/Pebblebrook [North Alabama]). A 7-0 run made it a six-point Duquesne cushion, before went on a 7-0 run of their own with Sedrick Altman (Rialto, CA/Colony [Pepperdine]) punctuating the spurt with a fast-break dunk to make it a 45-44 Rider advantage less than five minutes into the period. Five straight points gave the advantage back to Duquesne. The Broncs twice tied the game, the last time at 51-51 with 8:52 remaining. But the Dukes surged ahead with an 8-2 spurt and put the game away late with a 12-0 run to turn a four-point lead into a 16-point advantage.
 
Quotes & Notes
"I thought we played well in the first half. In the second half, we lost our composure. We broke down defensively at times and started taking some bad shots when they were making their run. So, we've got to be a little bit more disciplined, take our time, execute, make those guys guard us and we'll get better at all of those thing. First game. There were some good things and some things we've got to get better at." – Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett

- 11 Broncs saw action in the game, including the Rider debuts of McKeithan, James and Altman.  
- The Broncs host Coppin State in their home opener Friday night at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN3.

Broncs by the Numbers
- Murray made his return after missing Saturday's exhibition game with a minor injury. He scored a game-high 17 points on 7-of-14 shooting. He also dished out a team-high four assists and grabbed five rebounds.
- Playing in his first Rider game since March 4, 2020, Vaughn had 13 points on 6-of-12 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds.
- James and McKeithan each scored 10 points in their Rider debuts. James grabbed five rebounds, while McKeithan had a team-high two steals.
- Ogemuno-Johnson grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds.
- For the game, Rider outshot Duquesne, 45.6 percent (26-57) to 39.3 percent (24-61) from the floor. However, the Dukes outshot Rider 40.0 percent (12-30) to 12.5 percent (2-16) from long range. Both teams shot well from the free-throw line, with the Dukes taking a 100.0 percent (13-13) to 77.8 percent (7-9) edge.
- Rider outrebounded Duquesne, 35-34.
- The Broncs outscored Duquesne, 34-22, in the paint.
- After both teams turned it over five times in the first half, the Dukes won the turnover batter, 8-2, in the final 20 minutes.