ATLANTIC CITY, NJ – The Rider University men's basketball team was picked seventh in the MAAC Preseason Coaches Poll, the league office today announced. Quinnipiac was picked as the preseason favorite with 11 first-place votes and 166 points. Marist (144 points, 1 first-place vote), Iona (139 points) and Fairfield (119 points, 1 first-place vote) and Saint Peter's (118 points) followed.

Entering its first season in the MAAC, Merrimack (112 points) was also picked ahead of the Broncs (99 points), while Niagara (66), Siena (54), Manhattan (49), Mount St. Mary's (42), Canisius (38) and Sacred Heart (37) rounded out the poll.

The Broncs return a pair of starters from last year's team that finished tied for third in the league standings in T.J. Weeks Jr. (Warwick, RI/Bishop Hendricken Catholic [UMass]) and Tariq Ingraham (Philadelphia, PA/Bonner-Prendergast [Wake Forest]). Weeks Jr. is the Broncs' top returning scorer at 10.1 points per game a year ago to go along with 6.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 30.5 minutes per game. He shot 37.8 percent from the floor, including 34.6 percent (54-156) from long range, to go along with 76.5 percent (65-85) shooting from the free-throw line. Weeks Jr. scored in double figures 15 times and posted two double-doubles.

Ingraham started all 32 games, averaging 9.3 points and 6.5 rebounds, while shooting 48.9 percent (110-225) from the floor and 72.0 percent (77-107) from the free-throw line. He scored in double figures 14 times, including a span of six of seven games in February. Ingraham posted two double-doubles in 2023-24.

The Broncs play host to Holy Family in an exhibition game on Oct. 26 at 4 p.m. at Alumni Gym, before traveling to UCLA for their season opener on Nov. 4.