LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – The Rider University men's basketball team fell in a heartbreaker to Delaware on Jameer Nelson tip-in with 3.6 seconds left Monday night at Alumni Gym. With the loss, the Broncs' three-game winning streak is snapped, moving their record to 4-5, while the Blue Hens won their fifth-straight to improve to 8-4.

The Broncs led for the majority of the first half, building a seven-point cushion, 16-9, on a Dwight Murray, Jr. (Austell, GA/Pebblebrook [Incarnate Word]) three at the 11:02 mark. The advantage fluctuated between two and six points for the remainder of the period, with the Blue Hens whittling it down to two at the break, 30-28. Murray led Rider with 12 points at the break, while Allen Powell (Philadelphia, PA/La Salle College HS) added 10 points.

The Rider lead extended back to six on a Murray three-point play at the 17:38 mark, before the Blue Hens scored nine of the next 11 points to take the lead on a Jyare Davis three-pointer at the 15:19 mark. The teams exchanged the lead five times and the game was tied twice more over the next eight minutes, before Rider took the lead at the 6:48 mark on a Corey McKeithan (Windsor, CT/Windsor) baseline jumper.

The Broncs maintained a lead until the final seconds, when Nelson fell to the ground, selling a Mervin James (St. Thomas, USVI/Pebblebrook [North Alabama]) offensive foul on an inbounds play with 9.7 seconds left. On the ensuing Delaware possession, the Broncs got the initial misfire from Davis, but Nelson was there on the weak side for the tip-in with 3.6 seconds remaining. Back the other way, Allen Betrand's (Philadelphia, PA/Roman Catholic [Towson/Rhode Island]) running 35-footer drew back iron at the buzzer.
 
Quotes & Notes
"Was a heartbreaker. We outplayed them. We just didn't execute down the stretch."

"You've got to learn from it. We'll learn from it. Got to get ready for Thursday. We'll learn from it. Tough way to lose." – Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett

- Delaware leads the all-time series, 33-30. Rider and Delaware met for the first time in nearly a decade. The Blue Hens took the last meeting in the 2012-13 season. Prior to that meeting, the Broncs had won seven of the last nine from their former East Coast Conference foe.
- The Broncs lost their first home game of the season, moving to 2-1 at Alumni Gym.

Broncs by the Numbers
- Rider led for 31:33 of game time to Delaware's 3:27 with the lead.
- Murray led the Broncs with 21 points and four assists, connecting on 8-of-17 attempts from the floor, including 3-of-7 from long range.
- Powell added 15 points on 6-of-14 shooting, including 3-of-8 from beyond the arc.
- James chipped in with eight points and eight rebounds.
- Ajiri Ogemuno-Johnson (Delta State, Nigeria/Bonner-Prendergast) grabbed a game-high nine rebounds, including seven on the offensive glass.
- Tyrel Bladen (Coatesville, PA/Coatesville) chipped in with six points on 3-of-4 shooting and grabbed five rebounds in 15 minutes off the bench.
- Delaware outshot the Broncs, 42.6 percent (23-54) to 41.7 percent (25-60) from the floor.
- The Broncs took a 35.0 percent (7-20) to 29.2 percent (7-24) edge from long range.
- Neither team went to the line much, with Delaware taking a 63.6 percent (7-11) to 40.0 percent (2-5) edge from the charity stripe.
- The Broncs outrebounded the Blue Hens, 39-30, including a 13-8 edge in offensive rebounds.
- Rider outscored Delaware, 32-26, in the paint.
 
Up Next
The Broncs play host to MAAC foe Marist Thursday night. Tip-off from Alumni Gymnasium is scheduled for 7 p.m. on ESPN+.