LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Allen Powell (Philadelphia, PA/La Salle College HS) scored a game-high 19 points, but the Rider University men's basketball team was defeated by MAAC Regular Season Champion Iona, 67-61, Sunday afternoon at Alumni Gym. With the loss, the Broncs fall to 11-17 (7-11 MAAC), while the Gaels are now 24-5 (16-2 MAAC).

Iona immediately scored off the opening tip and began the game on a 7-0 run. Rider responded with nine of the next 11 points to tie the game. Dimencio Vaughn (New York, NY/Callaway/The Masters School) started the run with a strip and score, Sedrick Altman (Rialto, CA/Colony [Pepperdine]) made 21-of-2 free throws and Powell capped the run with consecutive three-pointers to tie the game at 9-9 less than six minutes in.

Back-and-forth they continued to go, with Iona scoring the next six and Rider responding with next five on a Dwight Murray, Jr. (Austell, GA/Pebblebrook [Incarnate Word]) jumper and Ajiri Ogemuno-Johnson (Delta State, Nigeria/Monsignor Bonner) three-point play to cut the deficit to one. But Iona followed with an 8-0 spurt to create separation. Rider cut the deficit to four on three more occasions in the first half, before Iona scored the final five points of the period to take a 34-25 lead into halftime. Murray led Rider with seven points at the break. Rider created extra opportunities with an 11-0 advantage on the offensive glass in the period. However, Iona outshot the Broncs, 42.3 percent (11-26) to 24.3 percent (9-37) from the floor.   

Iona methodically built its lead in the second half to as many as 17 points, 51-34, on a pair of Osborn Shema free throws at the 13:17 mark. Rider responded with nine-straight and 16 of the next 18 points to cut the deficit to three, 53-50, at the 5:24 mark. Vaughn sparked the run with four-straight free throws and added a lay-up and a three-pointer to cap the run with nine points. Powell also added a pair of jumpers and a three-pointer for the other seven Rider points. Iona would rebuild its lead to eight, before Powell connected on a pair of free throws and Murray knocked down a three to get it back down to three with 3:22 remaining. But Iona answered with consecutive three-pointers to hold off the Broncs.

Quotes & Notes
"I thought we played better. Tough loss. Got to make more shots. Got to be a little bit smarter at certain times and situations in the game. But our guys competed. Close. Not close enough, but close."

"We started pressing them. We started believing that we could play with them. I don't necessarily know that in the first half that we played with as much confidence as we did in the second half. Once we started speeding them up, forcing them into some turnovers, and getting us up and down the court and getting some easier baskets, as opposed to sitting in the half court, trying to execute, we were able to make our run." – Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett

- The Gaels lead the all-time series, 45-26, including wins in each of the last eight. The Broncs' last win over Iona came in a 110-101 affair Feb. 25, 2018, as Rider clinched a share of the 2018 MAAC Regular Season title and the top seed.
- Today's results around the MAAC create a logjam of five teams – Fairfield, Manhattan, Niagara, Quinnipiac and Rider – tied for sixth in the league at 7-11. The group trails Marist (9-9) for the fifth, and final, first-round MAAC Championship bye.
- The Broncs return to action Thursday, when they travel to Fairfield. Tip-off from Webster Bank Arena is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on ESPN+, following the Broncs' women's team's 5 p.m. tip-off against the Stags.

Broncs by the Numbers
- Powell made 7-of-17 attempts from the floor, including 3-of-9 from long range and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line. He also added three assists.
- Vaughn scored 13 points and added five rebounds and three steals. He shot just 3-of-11 from the floor, but made 1-of-4 from long range and added 6-for-6 shooting from the line.
- Murray scored 12 points and added seven rebounds and three steals.
- Ogemuno-Johnson grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.
- Mervin James (St. Thomas, USVI/Pebblebrook [North Alabama]) added nine points, five rebounds, three assists and a block.
- The Broncs took a 45-37 edge on the glass, including a 16-5 advantage on the offensive boards.
- For the game, Iona outshot Rider, 41.8 percent (23-55) to 30.8 percent (20-65) from the floor, including a 32.1 percent (9-28) to 27.3 percent (6-22) edge from long range.
- The Broncs outshot Iona, 83.3 percent (15-18) to 66.7 percent (12-18) from the free-throw line.  
- Rider took a 15-7 edge in fast-break points and a 7-2 advantage in second-chance points.
- Iona outscored Rider, 28-20, in the paint.
- The Broncs never led in the game, trailing for 39:40 and tying the game once.