LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Jay Alvarez (Waynesboro, PA/Waynesboro Area [Houston Christian]) scored a team-high 17 points to lead four Broncs in double figures, but the Rider University men's basketball team fell to Delaware, 72-66, in its home opener Saturday afternoon at Alumni Gym. With the loss, the Broncs fall to 4-4, while the Blue Hens improve to 4-3.

The Broncs led for much of the early going, extending to a pair of six-point cushions, 12-6 and 14-8, the latter on a second-chance jump shot from Zion Cruz (Trenton, NJ/Donda [DePaul/Pratt CC]) with 14:35 left in the first half. But the Blue Hens went on a 10-0 run to take an 18-14 lead by the 12:35 mark. Rider retook the lead, 27-26, on a T.J. Weeks Jr. (Warwick, RI/Bishop Hendricken Catholic [UMass]) three-pointer at the 6:01 mark, but a Cavan Reilly triple 21 seconds later gave Delaware the lead and the Blue Hens wouldn't trail again. The Broncs tied the game, 31-31, on a Tariq Ingraham (Philadelphia, PA/Bonner-Prendergast [Wake Forest]) putback at the 3:22 mark. But Delaware scored the next seven points and maintained the advantage for the remainder of the contest.

Ingraham and Cruz led Rider with eight points apiece in the first half, with Ingraham also grabbing a team-best five rebounds. Delaware edge the Broncs from the floor, 53.3 percent (16-30) to 50.0 (15-30) in the period.

The Blue Hens' lead gradually grew to as many as 11 points twice in the second half. Rider cut it twice to five in the final 70 seconds, but could draw no closer.

Quotes & Notes
"We lost this game on the defensive end. Too many breakdowns. Not enough ball pressure. Gave up too many three's at costly times when we know that they're desperate. And they got all the 50/50 balls. Therefore, you lose the game. When the game is in the balance, you've got to get stops. When you get a stop and then you don't get the rebound to secure possession..." – Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett

- Delaware extended to a 34-31 edge in the all-time series. The former East Coast Conference foes have met in each of the last three years, with the visiting team winning each time.
- The Broncs were playing their home opener. Entering the day, just four other NCAA Division I teams - UNC Asheville (Dec. 7), Monmouth (Dec. 21), Alcorn State (Jan. 4) and Jackson State (Jan. 11) – had yet to play their home opener.
- Rider outrebounded its sixth-straight opponent, taking a 42-33 edge on the glass.   

Broncs by the Numbers
- Alvarez scored a team-high 17 points on 7-of-18 shooting, including 2-of-7 from long range and 1-of-2 from the free-throw line. He also grabbed six rebounds.
- Weeks Jr. added 15 points on 6-of-16 shooting, including 2-of-9 from long range, and 1-for-1 from the free-throw line. He also grabbed eight rebounds, dished out three assists and made two steals.
- Ingraham posted the Broncs' first double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds. He made 6-of-9 from the floor and six of his 11 rebounds came on the offensive glass.
- Cruz added 10 points and five rebounds off the bench. He also blocked two shots.
- Delaware outshot Rider, 46.6 percent (27-58) to 42.0 percent (29-69) from the floor, including a 36.0 percent (9-25) to 26.1 percent (6-23) edge from beyond the arc.
- Delaware also outshot the Broncs, 69.2 percent (9-13) to 66.7 (2-3) from the free-throw line in a game that featured just 19 combined fouls.
- Delaware took a 14-2 edge on fast-break points.
- Rider's bench outscored that of Delaware, 22-7.

Up Next
The Broncs return to action Wednesday, when they open MAAC play at Fairfield. Tipoff Leo D. Mahoney Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m. on ESPN+.