PROVIDENCE, RI – Dwight Murray, Jr. (Austell, GA/Pebblebrook [Incarnate Word]) scored a game-high 18 points and Allen Powell (Philadelphia, PA/La Salle College H.S.) added 15 points, but the Rider University men's basketball team was edged at Providence, 66-65, in the season opener Tuesday night at Amica Mutual Pavilion. With the loss, the Broncs fall to 0-1, while the Friars are now 1-0.

The Broncs used an early 11-2 run to build an eight-point lead, 14-6. Murray scored 10 of the Broncs first 14 points, including a pair of three-pointers. The lead would swell to as many as 15 points on a Powell  three with 5:51 remaining in the period. Providence responded with a 7-0 run to close to within eight, but the Broncs maintained a 10-point lead, 40-30, at the half. Rider outshot the Friars, 47.2 percent (17-36) to 38.1 percent (8-21) in the opening 20 minutes.

Providence used an early-second-half 11-0 run to tie the game at 43-43. Another 10-0 run gave Providence its first lead since the opening minutes and the Friars wouldn't relinquish it. PC's lead swelled to 10, 58-48, with 7:20 to play and remained a 10-point cushion with under five minutes remaining before the Broncs made their final push. A three-pointer from Murray cut the deficit to five, before Powell was fouled attempting a three-pointer and made all three free throws to make it a two-point game.

The teams traded two-point buckets, including a Powell driving lay-up. After the Friars made 1-of-2 free throws to up the lead to three, Powell misfired on a three-point attempt, but connected on a mid-range jumper on the second chance to whittle the deficit to one. Rider forced a shot clock violation with 10.1 seconds remaining. But the Broncs turned it over and Providence escaped with the win.   

Quotes & Notes
"I'm proud of my guys and proud of the effort. We've come up here twice. Right down the stretch. We gave ourselves a chance to win, but they come away with it. So there's no moral victories. But I am proud of how our guys persevered and continue to fight and get back into this game." – Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett

- The Friars have won the last five meetings since the Broncs took the series opener against the Friars in 1945 at the original Boston Garden. All four PC wins have come in Providence, with the Broncs most recently pushing the Friars in an 88-84 decision in late November 2017.
- Allen Betrand (Philadelphia, PA/Roman Catholic [Rhode Island/Towson]), Tariq Ingraham (Philadelphia, PA/Bonner-Prendergast [Wake Forest]), Zahrion Blue (Princeton, NJ/Princeton [Lincoln]) and Anthony McCall (Philadelphia, PA/Academy of the New Church) each made their Rider debuts Tuesday.
- The Broncs' last win over a Big East team came on Dec. 21, 2007, when Rider defeated then-Big East representative Rutgers.
- Rider has twice defeated a team currently in the Big East – a win over Providence in the 1944-45 season and a win over Villanova in 1945-46.

Broncs by the Numbers
- Murray went for 18 points, six rebounds and four assists. He made 4-of-5 three-point attempts.
- Powell's 15 points came on 5-of-9 shooting, including 2-of-4 from long range, and 3-of-4 free-throw shooting.
- Mervin James (St. Thomas, USVI/Pebblebrook [North Alabama]) also finished in double figures with 12 points to go along with five rebounds. He hit 6-of-11 field-goal attempts before fouling out in 24 minutes.
- In his Rider debut, Betrand had nine points and seven rebounds. He made 3-of-5 three-point attempts.
- Tyrel Bladen (Coatesville, PA/Coatesville) scored six points in his return to the court after missing 2021-22 due to injury.
- Rider was faced with foul trouble most of the game, a problem Providence did not have. For the game, Rider was whistled for 29 fouls, while Providence was called for just 15. For the game, Providence marched to the free-throw line for 43 attempts to the Broncs' 10, including a 22-0 discrepancy in the first half.
- Rider outshot Providence, 41.4 percent (24-58) to 36.0 percent (18-50) from the floor, including a 64.3 percent (9-14) to 21.1 percent (4-19) edge from long range.
- Providence made 26-of-43 free-throw attempts (60.5 percent) to Rider's 80.0 percent (8-10).
- Rider had an even assist-to-turnover ratio, with 14 assists and 14 turnovers.
- Providence enjoyed a 14-4 edge in points off turnovers.
- The Broncs led for 25:00 of game time to Providence's 11:25.

Up Next
The Broncs return to action Saturday, when they welcome TCNJ for the home opener. Tipoff from Alumni Gym is scheduled for 4 p.m. on ESPN3.