LINCOLN, NE – Corey McKeithan (Windsor, CT/Windsor) scored a career-high 18 points, but the Rider University men's basketball team fell at Nebraska, 64-50, Monday night in the Cornhusker Classic at Pinnacle Bank Arena. With the loss, the Broncs fall to 1-2, while the Cornhuskers are now 3-0.

The first half was back-and-forth for much of the first 13 minutes. Down seven inside of the 12-minute mark, the Broncs went on a 7-0 run, including the final five from Mervin James (St. Thomas, USVI/Pebblebrook [North Alabama]) on a three and a putback, to tie the game at 17-17 at the 8:15 mark. But Nebraska answered with six straight as part of a 13-2 run to stretch to a 30-19 advantage at the four-minute mark. Rider cut the deficit to seven on consecutive James buckets, before a Rienk Mast bucket made it a 38-29 Cornhuskers lead at the half. McKeithan led the Broncs with 12 points in the half, while James added 10 points. Both McKeithan and James had five rebounds at the break.

Rider scored the first five points of the second half to cut the deficit to four and, after Nebraska had rebuilt the nine-point cushion, went on an 8-0 run to pull to within one on a DJ Dudley (San Diego, CA/LA Premier Prep) jumper in the paint at the 10:41 mark. But the Broncs went cold from there and consecutive Keisei Tominaga three's sparked a 17-0 Nebraska run, covering more than nine minutes as the Cornhuskers pulled away.  

Quotes & Notes
"We played a whole hell of a lot better than we did in the Marquette game the other night. Gave up some costly three's when the game was in the balance. I'm encouraged by our guys. I thought we battled." – Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett

- The Broncs and Cornhuskers were meeting for the first time in the two programs' histories.
- JT Langston Jr. (Fort Wayne, IN/San Gabriel Academy [East Los Angeles College]) made his first start as a Bronc.

Broncs by the Numbers
- McKeithan scored a career-high 18 points on 6-of-14 shooting, including 2-of-6 from long range, and hit 4-of-5 from the free-throw line. He also grabbed five rebounds and dished out two assists and blocked a shot.
- James scored 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting, including 2-of-3 from long range, and grabbed five rebounds. However, he fouled out in just 20 minutes.
- T.J. Weeks Jr. (Warwick, RI/Bishop Hendricken Catholic [UMass]) added six points, five rebounds and two steals.
- Tariq Ingraham (Philadelphia, PA/Bonner-Prendergast [Wake Forest]) had four points, a team-high eight rebounds and three steals, and blocked a shot.
- Allen Powell (Philadelphia, PA/La Salle College HS) had five points, three assists and two steals.  
- Nebraska outshot the Broncs, 33.3 percent (19-57) to 30.4 percent (17-56) from the floor, including a 28.1 percent (9-32) to 24.0 percent (6-25) edge from long range.
- Rider outshot Nebraska at the free-throw line, 83.3 percent (10-12) to 77.3 percent (17-22).
- Nebraska outrebounded Rider, 47-34, including a 14-7 edge on the offensive glass.
- The Cornhuskers took a 14-2 edge in fast-break points.
   
Up Next
The Broncs return to action Friday, when they continue play in the Cornhusker Classic at Duquesne. Tip-off from Pittsburgh is scheduled for 7 p.m.