GAME 17 – Friday, January 20, 2023
Rider Broncs (7-9, 4-3 MAAC) vs. Niagara Purple Eagles (9-8, 4-4 MAAC)
Location: Lawrenceville, NJ – Alumni Gym
Tip: 7 p.m.
Tickets – GoBroncs.com
Live Video – ESPN+
Live Audio – 107.7 The Bronc Retro
Live Stats – GoBroncs.com
Twitter – Twitter.com/RiderMBB
 
What You Need To Know
- Rider returns home to face Niagara Friday in search of a regular-season split.
- January is Youth Month at Alumni Gym. Fans 12 and under can purchase $5 general admission tickets in-person at the Ticket Office on game days throughout the month.
- A local girl scouts troop will be selling cookies in the Alumni Gym lobby.
- The Broncs dramatically snapped a three-game losing skid last time out at Preseason MAAC favorite Iona, erasing an 18-point second-half deficit in winning on Dwight Murray, Jr.'s three-pointer with 3.8 seconds remaining.
- Rider has now won 33 games under 11th-year Head Coach Kevin Baggett when trailing in the game by double digits. The 18-point deficit represented the second-largest overcome in a victory under Baggett (Feb. 10, 2018 at Marist - 21).
- Murray had scored at least 17 points in each of the first 10 games prior to three-straight off games of eight points or fewer. For the year, he's averaging 17.0 ppg., shooting 39.4 percent from deep. Murray's 3.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game are best on the team and his 4.7 rebounds are third.
- Rider leads the all-time series with Niagara, 30-25. Though the Purple Eagles won the first meeting of the year on Jan. 2 in Western New York, the Broncs have won five-straight at Alumni Gym against Niagara.
- Rider took a tough 61-59 road loss at Niagara on Jan. 2. The Broncs erased what was once an 11-point deficit in the first half to take a one-point lead in the second. Rider trailed by two in the closing seconds and had a look to either win or tie the game, while Dwight Murray, Jr.'s jumper wouldn't fall.
- Niagara is led by All-MAAC performer Noah Thomasson at 18.3 points and 3.4 assists per game. Aaron Gray also averages in double figures at 13.1 points per game to go along with 5.0 rebounds per game, which is bested only by Sam Iorio at 5.6 rpg. Iorio has also contributed 8.2 ppg.
- The Broncs were picked third in the MAAC Preseason Poll.
- 11th-year Head Coach Kevin Baggett's teams have posted a 168-161 record. Baggett won MAAC Coach of the Year in 2015 and 2018.
- Only John Carpenter (292) and Thomas Leyden (187) have more wins at Rider.
- Listen to all Rider men's and women's home games this season, along with select road games, on 107.7 The Bronc Retro WRRC2. Tune in online at 1077TheBronc.com, or download our free Google Play, Apple, Alexa, Audacy and MyTuner apps and skills. Search and download: WRRC2.