HAMDEN, CT – Mervin James (St. Thomas, USVI/Pebblebrook [North Alabama]) scored a career-high 31 points and grabbed nine rebounds, but the Rider University men's basketball team fell at Quinnipiac, 88-84, Friday night at Peoples United Bank Center. With the loss, the Broncs fall to 3-11 (0-3 MAAC), while the Bobcats improve to 10-4 (2-1 MAAC).

After the T.J. Weeks Jr. (Warwick, RI/Bishop Hendricken Catholic [UMass]) opened the scoring with a three-pointer, Quinnipiac answered with a 9-0 run to take a six-point lead. The Quinnipiac lead remained five following an Alexis Reyes three-pointer at the 13:31 mark, before the Broncs went on a 20-0 run to turn the five-point deficit into a 15-point lead, punctuated by James' bucket off an inbounds play at the 7:19 mark. Weeks Jr. led the Broncs with eight points, including a pair of three-pointers, in the run, while James and Corey McKeithan (Windsor, CT/Windsor) added four points apiece. All told, the Broncs held the Bobcats without a point for a span of six minutes and 20 seconds. Rider settled for a 43-32 lead at the half, with Weeks Jr. and James leading the way with 14 points and four rebounds apiece.

Rider extended the lead to as many as 14 on a James three-point play at the 16:51 mark, before Quinnipiac began to chip away. The Bobcats scored the next 12 points, with Weeks Jr. picking up his third and fourth fouls in the process. After the Broncs fought back to keep the lead for an additional four minutes, Quinnipiac took its first lead of the second half on a Paul Otieno drive at the 9:42 mark.

Consecutive James three-point plays immediately gave the Broncs a five-point cushion and Rider maintained a lead until the final minute of regulation. McKeithan's three-pointer at the 3:15 mark gave the Broncs an 82-78 lead, before Quinnipiac scored the next 10 points, with the final six coming in the final minute. Matt Balanc tied the game at 82-82 with a jumper at the 1:42 mark, before putting Quinnipiac on top for good with another with 50 seconds remaining. Allen Powell's (Philadelphia, PA/La Salle College H.S.) three pointer for the lead wouldn't fall with 36 seconds left and, facing a four-to-five second differential of game-to-shot clock, the Broncs elected to foul. A pair of Savion Lewis free throw and another three-point miss for Rider later, Quinnipiac secured the victory.

Quotes & Notes
"We've just got to play better defense. We just do. Ball screens, on the ball, rebounds when we should be trying to clear rebounds, we're bobbling them, not coming up with them, giving second opportunities. We've got to clean it up. We're not far off."

"We've just got to play smarter basketball. That's all it comes down to at the end. You've got to execute better late game and when teams are making their run, you can't panic. And again, that's on me." – Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett

- After Rider won 12 of the first 14 meetings in the series, including seven straight from January 2016 to January 2019, the Bobcats have won nine of the last 10, including the last seven.
- Rider lost for the first time this season when leading at the half. The Broncs had won the prior three times when holding a first-half advantage.
- James' 13 made field goals are the most by a Bronc since Dimencio Vaughn made 13-of-18 attempts at Saint Peter's on Jan. 18, 2018.

Broncs by the Numbers
- James scored a career-high 31 points on 13-of-19 shooting and 5-of-6 from the free-throw line. He also grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.
- Weeks Jr. scored a season-high 19 points on 6-of-14 shooting, including 5-of-8 from long range. He also grabbed seven rebounds.
- McKeithan also reached double figures with 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting, while also matching his season high with eight assists to go along with a team-high three steals and a block.
- Powell added eight points and four assists.
- Tariq Ingraham (Philadelphia, PA/Bonner-Prendergast [Wake Forest]) added seven points, six rebounds and a season-high three blocked shots.
- JT Langston Jr. (Fort Wayne, IN/San Gabriel Academy [East Los Angeles College]) added seven points, two rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots in 18 minutes off the bench.
- Rider outshot Quinnipiac, 47.8 percent (33-69) to 43.5 percent (30-69) from the floor, including a 43.8 percent (7-16) to 40.0 percent (10-25) advantage from long range.
- Quinnipiac took an 81.8 percent (18-22) to 64.7 percent (11-17) edge from the free-throw line.
- Quinnipiac took a 37-35 edge on the glass, including a 13-10 advantage in offensive rebounds.
- Rider took a 15-6 advantage in fast-break points.
- The Broncs led for 30:38 of game time to the Bobcats' 7:43 with a lead.
   
Up Next
The Broncs return to action Sunday, when they play host to Canisius. Tip-off from Alumni Gym is scheduled for 2 p.m.