EMMITSBURG, MD – Mervin James (St. Thomas, USVI/Pebblebrook [North Alabama]) scored a game-high 26 points, including 12-for-12 shooting from the free-throw line and 8-for-8 in the final 38 seconds to ice the game, as the Rider University men's basketball team earned a second-straight road win, 66-62, at Mount St. Mary's Saturday night. With the win, the Broncs improve to 7-13 (4-5 MAAC), while the Mountaineers fall to 7-13 (3-6 MAAC).

Rider led for much of the early going, taking its first lead, 5-4, on a T.J. Weeks Jr. (Warwick, RI/Bishop Hendricken Catholic [UMass]) three-pointer and, after The Mount briefly retook the lead on a Dakota Leffew drive, the Broncs got an Allen Powell (Philadelphia, PA/La Salle College H.S.) pull-up jumper and led for the remainder of the half. The lead fluctuated between one and eight points and Rider scored seven of the last nine points in the period, including a Weeks Jr. three-pointer with 31 seconds remaining to take a 32-25 lead into the break.

James led the Broncs with eight points in the first half and all five Rider starters scored at least four points. JT Langston Jr. (Fort Wayne, IN/San Gabriel Academy [East Los Angeles College]) added five points off the bench. Rider forced seven Mount turnovers, while committing just three, resulting in a 10-2 advantage in points off turnovers. The Broncs did not allow a Mountaineers three-pointer, forcing six misfires, while making 3-of-11 on the other end.

The Mountaineers came out red hot in the second half, using a 10-2 run to open the period and retake a 36-34 lead. The Mountaineers eventually pushed the lead to three, before the Broncs scored the next four to retake the advantage. All told, the second half featured nine lead changes before the Broncs scored six straight on buckets from Weeks Jr., Powell and Corey McKeithan (Windsor, CT/Windsor) to take a 56-51 lead. The Broncs wouldn't trail again.

Mount St. Mary's cut the Broncs' lead to two on four occasions in the final 1:33, but James converted eight-straight free-throw attempts to ice the game.

Quotes & Notes
"I thought start-to-finish our guys executed exactly what it is we covered the past 24 or 48 hours. Mervin James – big free throws down the stretch. I thought everybody played a big part in this – guys off the bench, starters. Again, we're playing a lot better and guys are starting to understand their roles and understand where guys are on the court. Offensively and defensively, we've gotten better." – Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett

- Rider leads the all-time series with Mount St. Mary's, 15-13, including wins in both games at Knott Arena since the Mountaineers joined the MAAC. The Broncs and Mountaineers split last year, meeting for the first time as MAAC foes after playing 13 times in the Broncs' five seasons in the NEC, including nine times over their last three seasons in the conference from 1994-95 through 1996-97. In 2022-23, both teams earned road wins in the split.
- Rider led at the half for the seventh time this season and moved to 6-1 when leading following the first period.
- After securing just one win in their first 11 road games this season, the Broncs have now won back-to-back road contests this weekend (Thursday at Saint Peter's).
- Mount St. Mary's took a 43.6 percent (24-55) to 41.8 percent (23-55) edge from the floor. It marked just the second time this season the Broncs have won when being outshot (Stonehill, Dec. 8)
- Already a 1,000-point scorer at Rider entering the game, James grabbed his 500^th rebound in the Cranberry and White to become the 19^th Bronc all-time to achieve both milestones.
- Rider was perfect at the free-throw line for the first time since hitting 8-of-8 against Middle Tennessee at the Cancun Challenge on Nov. 23, 2021. The closest that could be found to 17 attempts without a miss at the line through 1992-93 is a 12-for-12 performance at Fairfield on Dec. 7, 1998. The Broncs were also 11-for-11 at LIU on Feb. 11, 1995.
- James' 12-for-12 performance from the free-throw line is the first 100 percent shooting performance of more than eight attempts since James went 8-for-8 at Manhattan on Jan. 22, 2023.
- The last time a Bronc made more than 12 free throws without misfiring was Daniel Stewart (13-13) on Jan. 24, 2014. Stewart and Ryan Thompson are tied for the program record, each shooting 14-for-14 (Stewart – at Rutgers, Dec. 28, 2012; Thompson – at Kentucky, Nov. 21, 2009).

Broncs by the Numbers
- James scored 26 points on 7-of-14 shooting from the floor and 12-for-12 from the free-throw line. He added seven rebounds two assists and a steal.
- Powell added 11 points on 5-of-14 shooting and dished out a team-high five assists.
- Weeks Jr. narrowly missed a double-double with 10 points and a team-high nine rebounds. He made 4-of-14 from the floor, including 2-of-7 from long range.
- Ingraham added eight points, seven rebounds and a career-high four blocked shots.
- McKeithan added six points, four rebounds, three assists and a steal.
- Langston Jr. finished with five points and two rebounds.
- All five starters played more than 34 minutes, led by McKeithan's 38 minutes.
- Mount St. Mary's made four second-half three-pointers to take a 22.2 percent (4-18) to 21.4 percent (3-14) edge from long range.
- The Broncs outshot The Mount, 100 percent (17-17) to 71.4 percent (10-14), from the free-throw line.
- Rider outrebounded Mount St. Mary's, 33-31. Both teams had 10 offensive rebounds.
- The Broncs took a 16-3 advantage in fast-break points.
- Mount St. Mary's outscored Rider, 40-16, in the paint.
- Rider led for 30:28 of game time to the Mountaineers' 6:12 with a lead.

Up Next
The Broncs return to action Friday, Feb. 2, when they play host to Siena. Tip-off from Alumni Gym is scheduled for 7 p.m. on ESPN+.