GAME 29 – Friday, March 1, 2024
Rider Broncs (12-16, 9-8 MAAC) vs. Niagara Purple Eagles (14-12, 10-6 MAAC)
Location: Niagara University, NY – "Taps" Gallagher Center
Tip: 7 p.m.
Live Video – ESPN+
Live Audio – None
Live Stats – PurpleEagles.com
X (Formerly Twitter) – Twitter.com/RiderMBB
 
What You Need To Know
- Rider travels to Niagara Friday to begin the MAAC's Western New York swing.
- Rider has won its last four games vs. Mount St. Mary's, at Manhattan and at home vs. Iona and Quinnipiac to move over .500 (9-8) in league play.
- Rider has shot over 50 percent in each of the last three games, marking the first time since the 2017-18 season that the Broncs have achieved the feat (12/31/17 at Niagara, 1/5/18 vs. Fairfield, 1/7/18 at Manhattan). The Broncs shattered the program single-game records with 76.4 percent (42-55) shooting from the floor and 32 assists on Feb. 18 at Manhattan, before backing up the performance with 56.5 percent (26-46) shooting in a 78-75 win over Iona on Feb. 23. Rider then knocked down 53.6 percent in an 88-78 win over Quinnipiac on Feb. 25.
- After seeing Quinnipiac's Matt Balanc wrestle the MAAC's scoring lead away for the first time in nearly four months on Feb. 23, Mervin James took it back, outscoring Balanc, 30-11, head-to-head on Feb. 25. James now averages 19.0 ppg.
- With the win over Iona, Head Coach Kevin Baggett passed Thomas Leyden (1942-43, 1946-60) for second at Rider with his 188th win.   
- Four Niagara players average in double figures scoring, led by freshman Ahmad Henderson II at 12.5 points per game. Braxton Bayless is next at 11.7 ppg., while Harlan Obioha has chipped in with 10.0 ppg. and a team-high 7.8 rebounds per game. Yaw Obeng-Mensah also averaged 10.0 ppg to go along with 4.9 rpg. Luke Bumbalough narrowly misses double figures at 9.8 ppg., while distributing a team-high 3.2 assists per game.  
- Rider leads the all-time series with Niagara, 31-26. The Broncs look to salvage a regular-season split for the second-straight year after the Purple Eagles took the first meeting in Lawrenceville on Jan. 19. Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett's teams are 16-6 against Niagara, including an 8-4 mark at the Gallagher Center.    
- 12th-year Head Coach Kevin Baggett's teams have posted a 189-182 record. Baggett won MAAC Coach of the Year in 2015 and 2018.
- Only John Carpenter (292) has more wins at Rider.