LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Allen Powell (Philadelphia, PA/La Salle College H.S.) scored a game-high 22 points, including 6-of-10 shooting from long range, as the Rider University men's basketball team defeated Gwynedd Mercy, 82-57, Monday night at Alumni Gym. With the win, the Broncs move to 4-8. The Division III Griffins, who entered the game with an 8-2 record, treat the game as an exhibition and the loss does not go against their season record.

Rider scored the game's first eight points and, after the Griffins whittled the Broncs' advantage down to three, 26-23, Rider scored 12 of the next 14 points. Powell scored the final eight points in the run to push the Broncs' lead to its largest point in the period, 13 points at 38-25. The Rider lead remained 13, 40-27, at the half. Powell led the Broncs with 14 points, including 4-of-5 shooting from long range, in the first half.

Rider maintained a double-digit advantage the rest of the way, building the cushion to as many as 28 points on Dimencio Vaughn's (New York, NY/Callaway/The Masters School [Ole Miss]) three-pointer at the 9:27 mark.

Quotes & Notes
"Glad to be back. Good to be at home. It's unfortunate we didn't have the opportunity to play Rutgers, but we were fortunate enough to get with Coach Baron and Gwynedd Mercy to have them come in and play us."

"Good to see AP back making shots. I knew it was a matter of time. We've had enough time to rest, maybe too much, and then maybe trying to get a little bit of rust off of us. But I thought AP played really well today." – Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett

- The Broncs and Griffins met for the first time on the hardwood.
- Rider played its first official game against a non-Division I opponent since a Nov. 29, 2003 game at the University of Hawaii at Hilo.
- It had been more than 27 years since Rider last played a Division III opponent – a Dec. 1, 1994, win over Montclair State.
- Rider and Gwynedd Mercy scheduled tonight's game this past Saturday after the Broncs had their Saturday game against Rutgers cancelled and the Griffins also had their game against Lebanon Valley College called off.
- Rider played for the first time in more than two weeks, when they fell to Marist on Dec. 5.
- The Broncs return to action on Jan. 2, when they begin MAAC play in earnest at Quinnipiac.

Broncs by the Numbers
- Powell's six three-pointers made were one off his career high, established last Feb. 27 against Saint Peter's in Jersey City. His 22 points and six trifectas are both season highs.
- Vaughn added 15 points and a game-high eight rebounds. He connected on 3-of-5 three-point attempts.
- Nehemiah Benson (Streetsboro, OH/Lutheran East) scored in double figures for the third time this season with a career-high 12 points. He made 4-of-5 attempts from the floor, including 1-of-2 from long range, to go along with 3-of-4 from the free-throw line.
- Mervin James (St. Thomas, USVI/Pebblebrook [North Alabama]) scored all nine of his points in the first half.
- Dwight Murray, Jr. (Austell, GA/Pebblebrook [Incarnate Word]) dished out a game-high five assists.
- Rider finished with a season-high 17 assists, eclipsing its previous high of 14, accomplished twice (at Ole Miss and against Marist).
- The Broncs outshot the Griffins, 46.7 percent (28-60) to 38.8 percent (19-49) from the floor, including a 41.9 percent (13-31) to 28.1 percent (9-32) edge from long range. Rider also took a 72.2 percent (13-18) to 62.5 percent (10-16) advantage from the free-throw line.
- The Broncs outrebounded the Griffins, 38-28, while using an 8-3 edge on the offensive glass to take a 14-2 advantage in second-chance points. Rider also outscored Gwynedd Mercy, 22-12, in the paint.
- The Broncs forced 16 Griffins turnovers and enjoyed an 18-7 edge in points off turnovers.
- Rider never trailed, leading the game for 39 minutes and 44 seconds.