LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Dwight Murray, Jr. (Austell, GA/Pebblebrook [Incarnate Word]) posted his third double-double of the year with 23 points and 11 rebounds, but the Rider University men's basketball team fell to hOURglass Rival Monmouth, 65-62, Friday evening at Alumni Gym. With the loss, the Broncs fall to 5-16 (5-13 MAAC), while the Hawks improve to 12-7 (12-6 MAAC).

Rider used an early 13-2 run to take a 13-6 lead less than six minutes into the first half. Monmouth immediately responded with a 13-3 spurt to retake the lead, 19-16, with 9:34 remaining in the period. True to form, the Broncs had the immediate response with a 12-1 run capped by Murray's driving lay-up with 2:26 left in the half. Monmouth scored the final four points of the period to cut the Rider lead to 28-24 at the break. Murray led the Broncs with seven points and eight rebounds in the first 20 minutes.

After Murray opened the scoring with a driving lay-up to push the Rider lead to six, Monmouth went on a 14-2 run coinciding with the Broncs' junior guard picking up his second, third and fourth fouls and heading to the bench for two and a half minutes. Checking back in with the Broncs down six, Murray scored six points in a 10-0 Rider run to retake a four-point lead. Five ties and seven lead changes later, the game was tied at 57-57 following a Murray jumper in the paint with 3:52 remaining.

Deion Hammond buried a three-pointer with 2:39 remaining and the Broncs couldn't reclaim the lead. The drew to within one on three occasions and kept the Hawks within one possession for the remainder of the game. But before Rodney Henderson, Jr. (Carson, CA/Avon Old Farms [CSUN]) could get a three-point attempt off in the final 5.6 second, Monmouth fouled him while in the double bonus. Henderson missed the first free-throw attempt with two seconds left and then intentionally missed the second, but the Hawks collected the rebound to secure the victory.  

Quotes & Notes
"We've just got to clean up some turnovers and breakdowns defensively, but we can compete with anyone in this league."

"We missed some free throws today. Yesterday, they were struggling, today they were better. Today, Hammond hurt us. Yesterday, Papas hurt us. That's the difference between a senior-laden team and a team still trying to figure it out and understand how to win, especially in games like this." – Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett

- Rider leads the all-time series with Monmouth, 31-25. Rider had won each of the last three against the Hawks at Alumni Gym prior to this series. The two teams had split in each of the past three years.
- Prior to the game, the Broncs honored their lone senior, Henderson, on Senior Day.  
- The Broncs will take the No. 11 seed in the MAAC Championships and play Monday night at 7 p.m. at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. If Canisius defeats Siena tonight, the Broncs would face the Griffs. If the Griffs fall, Rider would face Quinnipiac.

Broncs by the Numbers
- Murray scored 20 points or more for the seventh time this season, while reaching double figures for the 17^th time in 21 games.
- Murray posted his third double-double of the season, while also turning the trick Dec. 11 at Manhattan and Jan. 23 against Marist. Prior to this season, Murray had not compiled a double-double in two years at Incarnate Word.
- Murray made 8-of-16 attempts from the floor, including 2-of-3 from long range.
- Allen Powell (Philadelphia, PA/La Salle College H.S.) was the Broncs' next-leading scorer with eight points, while dishing out a team-high four assists.  
- Monmouth edged the Broncs, shooting 39.6 percent (21-53) to Rider's 39.3 percent (24-61) from the floor.
- Rider took a 27.3 percent (6-22) to 22.2 percent (4-18) advantage from long range.
- Monmouth shot 90.5 percent (19-21) from the free-throw line a day after making just 48.0 percent (12-25). Rider struggled at the line Friday, making 8-of-18 attempts (44.4 percent).  
- Both teams ended up with 38 rebounds.