ATLANTIC CITY, NJ – Dwight Murray, Jr. (Austell, GA/Pebblebrook [Incarnate Word]) scored a game-high 20 points and Allen Powell (Philadelphia, PA/La Salle College HS) added 19, but the ninth-seeded Rider University men's basketball team fell to fourth-seeded Monmouth, 72-68, in the MAAC Semifinals Friday night at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall. With the loss, the Broncs end their season at 14-19, while the Hawks (21-12) advance to the MAAC Championship Game tomorrow at 4 p.m.

The Broncs absorbed the Hawks' opening punch, as Monmouth opened the game with a 10-0 run. However, Rider scored the next seven points and 16 of the next 19 to take its first lead of the game on Powell's second-straight three-pointer and eighth-straight Broncs point at the 8:09 mark. Consecutive Walker Miller buckets briefly gave the lead back to Monmouth, 22-21, at the 4:45 mark. But Rider scored the next five points and extended to a six-point lead, 30-24, on Dimencio Vaughn's (New York, NY/Callaway/The Masters School) second-chance bucket at the 1:24 mark. Monmouth scored the half's final five points to cut the Rider lead to 30-29 at the break. Powell led all scorers with 11 points at the half, while Murray added 10.

Rider scored the first seven points of the second half to get out to an eight-point cushion, but the Hawks were equal to the challenge and went on a 14-3 run shortly thereafter to take a 48-43 lead of their own. George Papas scored the final eight points of the run, capped at the 12:34 mark. Monmouth maintained a lead of between one and five points for the next 11 minutes, before a Murray jumper at the 1:33 mark tied the game. But the Broncs were whistled for consecutive fouls on the other end, including the second on a Papas three-point attempt with 56 seconds remaining. He'd make all three free throws and the Hawks wouldn't relinquish the advantage.

Quotes & Notes
"First of all, I'm just very thankful for our guys. It was an up-and-down year for us. We knew we had the talent to be here, where we were today. We had a chance to win the game. We put ourselves in position to advance. For the most part, our guys did an unbelievable job of battling. Great game. Kudos, a lot of credit goes out to King. Love him. We're going to miss him when those guys leave the league. Unbelievable coach. His team did an unbelievable job today. That was a great game, man. It's unfortunate we were on the losing end of it, but it was a great game." – Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett

- Rider is 17-24 all-time in the MAAC Tournament. This was the first time the Broncs are the No. 9 seed. The Broncs are now 2-4 in MAAC Semifinal games, with their last win coming in 2008. The Broncs reached the semifinals in four-straight years from 2008-11, while making their first appearance in 2005.
- Rider and Monmouth had met twice in the MAAC Championships, splitting a pair of games in 2014 (Rider win in First Round) and 2016 (Monmouth win in Quarterfinals).
- Rider leads the all-time series with Monmouth, 32-27. MU swept a pair of close games last season in Lawrenceville - a 77-74 overtime decision to open the weekend series and a 65-62 win to take the sweep, before each team won on its home court this season - a 60-58 Monmouth win on Feb. 18 and a 74-65 Rider win on Mar. 5. Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett is 10-12 against King Rice's Monmouth teams since taking over in 2012-13.   
- The Broncs are set to return all but Vaughn and guard Jeremiah Pope (Clinton, NC/Clinton [Brunswick C.C.]) next season.

Broncs by the Numbers
- Murray made 8-of-13 attempts, including 2-of-6 from long range and both of his free-throw attempts. He also added four assists in the full 40 minutes.
- Powell hit 7-of-11 attempts, including 5-of-7 from deep in 37 minutes.
- Vaughn finished with 13 points, six rebounds and a steal in 31 minutes.
- Vaughn ends his Rider career ninth all-time in points (1,652), fifth in rebounds (811), first in steals (228) and eighth in blocks (85).  
- James and Ogemuno-Johnson scored seven points apiece. Ogemuno-Johnson grabbed a game-high eight rebounds, while James had the only two blocks in the game.
- Rider outshot Monmouth, 51.9 percent (27-52) to 44.0 percent (22-50) from the floor.
- The Hawks took a 50.0 percent (10-20) to 47.1 percent (8-17) edge from long range.
- Led by 9-for-9 shooting from Papas, the Hawks took an 78.3 percent (18-23) to 75.0 percent (6-8) edge from the free-throw line.
- The Broncs took a 28-27 edge on the glass.
- Monmouth turned it over just six times to the Broncs' 11 turnovers. Despite the discrepancy, the Broncs took a 14-6 advantage in points off turnovers.
- Rider took a 32-20 advantage in points in the paint.