JERSEY CITY, NJ – Allen Powell (Philadelphia, PA/La Salle College H.S.) scored a career-high 25 points, including 7-of-8 shooting from long range as the Rider University men's basketball team defeated hOURglass Rival Saint Peter's, 78-65, Saturday night at John Moore Athletics Center. With the win, the Broncs (5-14, 5-11 MAAC) snap a four-game losing skid, while earning a solid win over the Peacocks (12-9, 9-7 MAAC).
 
Rider used an early 22-6 run to build an 18-point lead by the 8:42 mark of the first half. The lead extended to 19 points, 39-20, on a Dwight Murray, Jr. (Austell, GA/Pebblebrook [Incarnate Word]) three at the five-minute mark, before Saint Peter's scored 11 of the next 13 points to whittle the Rider lead down to 10. The Broncs hit a pair of free throws to close the first half scoring and go into the locker room with a 43-31 lead. Rider made 9-of-13 three-point attempts, including 6-of-6 from Powell, who led all scorers with 20 points in the period.

Saint Peter's scored the first four points of the second half to cut the Broncs' lead to eight. But Powell responded with his seventh three on the next Rider possession to push it back to 11 and the Broncs maintained a double-digit lead for the remainder of the game. The Broncs' lead grew to as many as 20 points, 62-42, with just over eight minutes remaining.
 
Quotes & Notes
"We're capable of winning any games and losing any games. I thought we grew up a little bit, playing some defense and playing together as a team again. So it was good to see." – Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett

- Rider leads the all-time series with Saint Peter's, 39-32. The Peacocks had won the last two meetings, both in Jersey City, before Rider got back in the win column. All told, Rider has won six of the last nine against Saint Peter's.  
- Rider won the second game of a MAAC weekend series for the first time this season. The Broncs' previous four league wins all came in the openers.
- The only lead Saint Peter's enjoyed on the night was 2-0 for 30 seconds in the second minute of the game.
- Dontrell McQuarter (Baton Rouge, LA/Believe Prep [Hinds C.C.]) returned to the starting line-up after making his to the Broncs last night off the bench, having missed the prior four games for personal reasons.
- Tyrel Bladen (Coatesville, PA/Coatesville) made his second start of the season after starting the opening game of the year at Syracuse on Dec. 5.
- The Broncs close out the season with a pair of 4 p.m. tip-offs this coming Thursday and Friday against another hOURglass Rival in Monmouth. The Friday match-up will be nationally-televised on ESPNU.

Broncs by the Numbers
- Powell eclipsed his prior career high of 20 points (Jan. 23, 2021 vs. Marist) with his 25-point performance. He was 7-of-9 from the floor, with his only misses coming on a shot inside the arc and a blocked three-pointer. His first seven three-point attempts went in.
- Powell's seven three-point field goals are the most since Jordan Allen knocked down 7-of-14 three-point attempts in a Dec. 17, 2018 loss at Washington State.
- Powell also added four assists, one off of his career high.
- Murray added 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including 2-of-4 from long range. He also grabbed seven rebounds and dished out four assists.
- Both Murray and Powell played all 40 minutes.
- Christian Ings (Philadelphia, PA/Neumann-Goretti) added 14 points and seven rebounds. He made 3-of-5 from the floor and 7-of-11 from the free-throw line. He also added two steals.
- McQuarter chipped in with 12 points on 3-of-7 from the floor and 6-of-7 from the free-throw line to go along with two blocks.
- Rider shot a season-high 54.8 percent (23-42) from the floor, a tick above its previous season high of 54.7 percent (29-53) in a Jan. 8 win at Niagara.
- The Broncs outshot Saint Peter's, 54.8 percent (23-42) to 40.0 percent (20-50) from the floor and 62.5 percent (10-16) to 27.3 percent (6-22) from long range. Rider also took a 73.3 percent (22-30) to 61.3 percent (19-31) edge from the free-throw line.
- Saint Peter's edged Rider on the boards, 30-29.
- Rider enjoyed advantages of 25-12 and 15-4 in points off turnovers and fast-break points.