LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Flash Burton (Philadelphia, PA/Cardinal O'Hara) scored a game-high 20 points and Shemani Fuller (Bronx, NY/Cardinal Hayes [Clark Atlanta]) added a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds in 23 minutes off the bench as the Rider University men's basketball team defeated Rowan, 76-64, in an exhibition tune-up Saturday afternoon at Alumni Gym.

The Broncs built a lead of as many as 10 in the first half on a Zion Cruz (Trenton, NJ/Donda [DePaul/Pratt CC]) fast-break lay-up off Davis Bynum's steal at the 4:06 mark. But the Profs finished the half strong with 13 of the last 17 points, including the final seven, to cut Rider's lead to 32-31 at the break. Cole McCabe (Miami Beach, FL/Miami Country Day/IMG Academy) led Rider with seven points, while Burton, Cruz and Mohamad Diallo (Decatur, GA/Southwest Dekalb [Fla. Memorial]) had six points apiece.

The teams traded punches in the early going of the second half, with the Broncs scoring the first eight points of the period, including a three-pointer, steal and fast-break three-point play from Burton to cap the run at 18:10. The Profs answered with a 13-1 run to take their largest lead of the game, 44-41, with 13:09 left. Burton answered with another five straight, tying the game with a triple at the 12:41 mark and putting Rider on top with a jumper at 12:07.

After the Profs tied the game on a pair of free throws, Fuller hit a pair and the Broncs never trailed again. A later 9-0 run pushed the Broncs' lead to 11 on McCabe's breakaway dunk at the 5:35 mark and the advantage swelled to as many as 16 on a Fuller free throw with 3:10 remaining.

Quotes & Notes
"Give Rowan credit. First of all, it was good to see Ryan Thompson back here. He's one of my favorites of all time. One of Rider's greatest of all time. But give those guys credit. I thought they played hard and did some great things. But this should've been about us today. We just didn't play to the level that we have to play. We have to play better defense. We have to execute our offense better. We've got to cut better. We've got to rebound better. We've got to talk better. It was disappointing."

"It was good for us to be in that situation, but not good because we should've never been in that situation. Give our guys credit, because I think with about 15 minutes to go, we started to really dial in and get turnovers and get some easy baskets and put pressure on them. We got up early in the first half and then we rested and next thing you know, it was a one-point game at half. So, again, it is a matter of a lot of guys coming together. But it's a matter of us becoming a better team. Individuals have to do a better job of thinking about the team and not of themselves." – Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett

- The Broncs welcomed back Rider Hall of Famer Ryan Thompson '10, who begins his fifth year as an assistant coach with the Profs. Thompson's name appears throughout the Broncs' record book, currently ranking among the Top 12 in scoring (1,897 – 4^th), field goals made (627 – 8^th), free throws made (477, 2^nd), rebounds (734, 12^th), assists (393, 8^th), steals (188, T-2^nd), games played (128, T-7^th) and games started (120, 5^th).   
- The Broncs have 10 new players this year, including seven transfers and three incoming freshmen joining Burton, Cruz, McCabe and sophomore Maurizio D'Alessandro (Charlottesville, VA/New Hampton Prep/Fork Union Military Academy).

Broncs by the Numbers
- Burton scored a game-high 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting, including 3-of-4 from long range, and a conversion on his lone free-throw attempt. He added seven rebounds, three assists and a steal.
- Fuller scored 14 points on 4-of-7 from the floor and 6-of-10 from the free-throw line. He added 11 rebounds, including three on the offensive glass.
- McCabe and Cruz added nine points apiece. Cruz also added two steals, while McCabe blocked two shots.
- Diallo chipped in with seven points and six rebounds, while Antwan Wilson (Salisbury, MD/Wicomico [UMES/Weatherford]) also scored seven points.
- Kristupas Kepezinskas (Kaunas, Lithuania/Ugnes Karvelis) chipped in with five points and three assists in 15 minutes, while fellow freshman guard Jamir McNeil (Cape May Courthouse, NJ/Middle Township) added two points, two rebounds and two steals in 17 minutes.
- Freshman AB Coulibaly (Philadelphia, PA/W.Philadelphia/Avon Old Farms) added a three-pointer and four rebounds in eight minutes.
- The Broncs outshot the Profs, 47.4 percent (27-57) to 33.3 percent (22-66) from the floor, including a 43.8 percent (7-16) to 23.3 percent (7-30) edge from beyond the three-point arc.
- Rowan took a 68.4 percent (13-19) to 55.6 percent (15-27) advantage from the free-throw line.
- The Broncs outrebounded Rowan, 47-38.  
- Rider led for 32:32 of game time to the Profs' 1:36 with the lead.

Up Next
The Broncs open the 2025-26 season on Monday, Nov. 3, at the University of Virginia. Opening tip is scheduled for 7 p.m. from Charlottesville, VA, on ACC Network Extra.