GAME 18 – Friday, January 19, 2024
Rider Broncs (5-12, 2-4 MAAC) vs. Niagara Purple Eagles (7-9, 3-3 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
X (Formerly Twitter) – Twitter.com/RiderMBB
 
What You Need To Know
- Rider continues MAAC play Friday, when Niagara visits Alumni Gym.
- Rider had won two in a row, both at home, over Canisius in overtime on Jan. 7 and Manhattan on Jan. 12, before falling at Marist on Jan. 14.
- James saw his streak of 16-straight double-figures scoring games snapped at Marist. He has eight games with 20 points or more, all coming in the last 12 contests and leads the MAAC at 19.8 points per game.
- Corey McKeithan forced overtime with a three vs. Canisius and Mervin James (21 points) scored four-straight in the extra session to put Rider on top for good.
- T.J. Weeks Jr. scored his 1,000th collegiate career Jan. 12 vs. Manhattan. He scored the first 843 points in four years at UMass before transferring to Rider. 
 - Allen Powell became the 42nd Rider player to score 1,000 career points against Stonehill on Dec. 8. Already a 1,000-point scorer for his collegiate career entering the season, including 620 in two seasons at North Alabama, James became Rider's 43rd 1,000-point scorer with his 1,000th as a Bronc Dec. 29 at Penn State. 
- Niagara is led by Ahmad Henderson II at 13.9 points per game, including 20 against Fairfield and 27 vs. Siena this past weekend. Yaw Obeng-Mensah has added 11.3 ppg and 5.4 rebounds per game, while Braxton Bayless (11.0 ppg.) and Luke Bumbalough (10.3 ppg.) also average in double figures. Harlan Obioha has also contributed 8.3 ppg. to go along with a team-high 7.8 rpg.  
- Rider leads the all-time series with Niagara, 31-25, including the last six meetings at Alumni Gym. The Broncs salvaged a regular-season split with a 65-62 win last Jan. 20 at the Zoo, erasing an 11-point second-half deficit. Rider trailed by three after a Niagara bucket at the 1:29 mark, before scoring the game's final six points to take the victory.  
- 12th-year Head Coach Kevin Baggett's teams have posted a 182-178 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.