LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Dwight Murray, Jr. (Austell, GA/Pebblebrook [Incarnate Word]) repeatedly beat the shot clock with clutch jumpers en route to 14 of his game-high 18 points in the second half as the Rider University men's basketball team held off Niagara, 70-68, Friday night at Alumni Gym. With the win, the Broncs (11-16, 7-10 MAAC) snapped a three-game losing skid and swept the regular-season series with Niagara (12-14, 7-10 MAAC).

Nip and tuck through nine minutes, the Broncs used an 8-2 run to take a 19-12 lead with 7:20 remaining in the half. Four different Broncs scored buckets in the run, which was capped by Dimencio Vaughn's (New York, NY/Callaway/The Masters School [Ole Miss]) lay-up off a Corey McKeithan (Windsor, CT/Windsor) feed. The Rider advantage fluctuated between four and seven points for much of the final seven minutes, before Ajiri Ogemuno-Johnson (Delta State, Nigeria/Monsignor Bonner) scored consecutive buckets to close the half and give Rider a 29-21 lead at the break. Eight of the nine Broncs to play in the period scored, led by Ogemuno-Johnson's eight points.

Rider built its lead to as many 13 points on a Vaughn bucket at the 4:14 mark, before Niagara scored 16 of the next 22 points to close to within three points, 64-61, with 30 seconds remaining. Niagara twice made it a two-point game in the final four seconds, including the final score. However, the Broncs made their free throws to close out the victory.

Quotes & Notes
"Good win for us. We closed the game out. We made it interesting. There were some calls down the stretch on some shots that I'm not quite sure of. But give Hammond credit for making them. But start-to-finish, I thought our guys did a really good job."

"We just focused on (the defensive) end. We've been working on some different things and making adjustments. Some teams try to iso us at times. Those kind of things. I thought everybody was locked in defensively and understanding who we needed to try to contain as much as possible." – Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett

- Rider leads the all-time series with Niagara, 30-24, including a comeback win from down 17 points this past Jan. 23 in Western New York. The Broncs have won the last five meetings in Alumni Gym and seven of eight under Head Coach Kevin Baggett. Baggett's teams are 15-4 overall against Niagara.
- Rider won this year's two meetings with Niagara by scores of 70-67 and 70-68, getting to those results in completely different fashions.
- Rider never trailed in the game. Niagara tied the game at 4-4 and 7-7, but could never build a lead. The Broncs led for 36:46 of game time.
- The Broncs are now 3-3 in games decided by five points or less this season, with all six results coming in league play.
- After being outscored in regulation by a combined two points in their last three games, all losses, the Broncs won tonight's game by two points to pull even after regulation in the last four games.
- Tonight's results around the MAAC create a logjam of four teams – Manhattan, Niagara, Quinnipiac and Rider – tied for sixth in the league at 7-10. The group trails Marist (9-9) for the fifth, and final, first-round MAAC Championship bye and is ahead of Fairfield (6-11) by one game in the standings.
- The Broncs return to action Sunday, when they play host to league-leading Iona. Tip-off from Alumni Gym is scheduled for 2 p.m. on ESPN+.

Broncs by the Numbers
- 13 of Murray's points were scored on shots released with three or fewer seconds left on the shot clock.
- Murray made 8-of-17 attempts from the floor and added seven rebounds and three assists.
- Allen Powell (Philadelphia, PA/La Salle College HS) added 14 points, two assists and two steals.
- Ogemuno-Johnson matched his season high with 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting. He also grabbed seven rebounds and made two steals.
- Vaughn finished with nine points, 11 rebounds, two steals and a block.
- Vaughn moved into seventh all-time at Rider in rebounds (780), passing Jack Madden (777) and Steve Jefferson (773) on the all-time list. He also moved into a tie for eighth in blocks (83) with Kevin McPeek and Brandon Wahlman, while extending his all-time leading steals total to 214.
- Mervin James (St. Thomas, USVI/Pebblebrook [North Alabama]) contributed eight points, five rebounds and two blocks.
- Eight of nine Broncs to play in the game scored at least two points.
- Niagara took a 47.3 percent (26-55) to 46.6 percent (27-58) edge from the floor, including a 33.3 percent (7-21) to 15.4 percent (2-13) advantage from long range.
- Rider outshot Niagara, 73.7 percent (14-19) to 60.0 percent (9-15) from the free-throw line.
- The Broncs took a 36-29 edge on the glass.
- Rider outscored Niagara, 40-28, in the paint and 18-4 off turnovers.