LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Flash Burton (Philadelphia, PA/Cardinal O'Hara) hit the game-winning three-pointer with 4.3 seconds remaining in regulation as the Rider University men's basketball team edged Niagara, 77-76, Saturday afternoon at Alumni Gym. With the win and a Siena loss at Manhattan, the Broncs (13-18, 9-11 MAAC) have clinched the No. 8 seed in the MAAC Championships and will face the ninth-seeded Saints (14-17, 9-11 MAAC) Tuesday night at 6 p.m. at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Niagara's season ends at 11-20 (6-14 MAAC). Rider heads into postseason play on a three-game winning streak.

Niagara edged ahead with 13-4 run to take a 17-11 lead on a Josiah Davis lay-up at the 11:33 mark of the first half and pushed its advantage to 20-13 on Jahari Williamson's three-pointer at the 10:35 mark. Rider responded with a 12-4 run, retaking the lead, 25-24, on Jay Alvarez's (Waynesboro, PA/Waynesboro Area [Houston Christian]) driving lay-up at the 5:45 mark. T.J. Weeks Jr. (Warwick, RI/Pilgrim [Miami Dade College]) made a pair of three-pointers in the run. After Niagara retook the lead with five straight, the Broncs tied the game twice in the final 3:14 of the period, before Niagara beat the buzzer for a 37-35 lead at the break. Weeks Jr. paced the Broncs with nine points, while Zion Cruz (Trenton, NJ/Donda [DePaul/Pratt CC]) and Alvarez added eight apiece.

A tie and six lead changes later in the second half, Niagara gradually built a nine-point lead, 64-55, with 8:52 remaining on an Olumide Adelodun three-point play. But the Broncs scored the next five points and continued to whittle away and tied the game at 70-70 on a Cruz lay-up with 3:31 remaining, capping a 15-6 spurt. Five different Broncs scored in the span, including four from Tariq Ingraham (Philadelphia, PA/Bonner-Prendergast [Wake Forest]).

Niagara scored the next three points, but it remained a one-possession game the rest of the way. Ingraham made two free throws to cut the deficit to one with 1:21 remaining and after each team misfired on their next possessions, Davis made 1-of-2 free throws to make it a 76-74 Purple Eagles lead with 31 seconds remaining. Cruz's fadeaway attempt with 11 seconds was well short, but the ball tipped off Ingraham's fingertips, was saved on the baseline by Weeks Jr. to Cruz, who found Burton near the top of the key for the game-winning three-pointer with 4.3 seconds left. After a Niagara timeout, Davis dribbled up the right side of the court and got off an attempt from the right wing that wouldn't fall.

Quotes & Notes
"I'm ecstatic for Riq and TJ, being seniors, to go out this way. They've been unbelievable representatives of Rider and Rider men's basketball. I'm thankful for these guys. I love them. We'll miss them. But what a great way to go out."

(On what it took to come back from down nine) "Just composure. Guys understanding that we've been in this position a number of times. Again, here we are, one-possession game under a minute. We've been there now. Again, just being composed. Flash, who is not afraid to take those shots. He's taken some big shots already and made the biggest one of his career so far. It had nothing to do with me at all. These guys just beared down and got stops and started really getting into the ball and rebounding." – Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett

"It was just sporadic I guess you could say. It wasn't really a play. We had a play, but it's just like March Madness that you watch on TV. It's just a preview. That shot wasn't really for me. It was for them. I wanted them to win. I love this team. This team is great. That shot was bigger than me. It was for us, so we could win on Senior Night."

(On Weeks Jr. and Ingraham) "These two, they're just leaders. Once I got here, they showed me the ropes. T.J. got on me, cooking me in practice. But it's cool. That's just how it's going to be. He just got me better. On and off the court, they're going to be there. So I just wanted to win for them." – Rider freshman guard Flash Burton

(On a win in his final game at Alumni Gym) "It felt amazing. Honestly, it was kind of nerve-wracking. I think I had the ball, it was like 50 seconds left and I missed the shot and we were down one still. So now we have to play from behind again. But then when I saved it and I saw Z Cruz pass the ball to Flash. That ball just looked good from where I was. He made it and it just felt like a release of emotions coming out after it went in. I knew we had one more stop, but I felt great."

(On his message to the younger players heading into the MAAC Tournament) "I'm going to tell the guys that how it was today, that kind of sense that the game was, that's how the MAAC Tournament's going to be. It's going to be a dog fight, it's going to be close, you're going to have fans cheering, talking smack – all of that. I think for us, it's a new season. Our regular-season record is out the window now. Zero and zero for us. Fresh start. Now we can improve on what we learned the whole season." – Rider senior wing T.J. Weeks Jr.

- Rider leads the all-time series with Niagara, 34-26, including the last three. Rider took the two games by a combined four points, following a 68-65 win in Western New York on Jan. 12.
- With the win, the Broncs clinched the No. 8 seed in the MAAC Tournament. Tied with the ninth-seeded Siena Saints at 9-11 in league play, the Broncs' 61-59 win over the Saints on Feb. 8 – the only meeting between the two teams this season – served as the tiebreaker. The two teams will face each other in the MAAC Championship Opening Round.
- Rider is now 8-5 this season in games decided by five points or fewer and improved to 6-5 in MAAC games decided by five or fewer.
- 12 of Rider's 20 MAAC games have been within one possession in the final minute, with the Broncs posting a 6-6 record in those contests.

Broncs by the Numbers
- Weeks Jr. scored a game-high 22 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including 2-of-4 from long range and 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. He added two steals and a block.  
- Ingraham added 18 points on 6-of-10 from the floor and 6-of-8 from the free-throw line. He grabbed eight rebounds and blocked three shots.
- Cruz scored 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting, including 2-for-3 from long range and knocked down both of his free-throw attempts.
- Burton scored 10 points on 4-of-12 shooting and 2-of-5 from long range.
- Alvarez scored 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting, knocking down all five of his attempts inside the arc. He added two assists.
- Ruben Rodriguez (Reading, PA/Reading) played a strong all-around game with five points, six assists without committing a turnover, and five rebounds. He also made a steal.
- The Broncs had five in double figures for the third time this season (Dec. 6 vs. Quinnipiac; 6 in double figures Feb. 28 at Merrimack).  
- Niagara took a 51.9 percent (27-52) to 48.3 percent (28-58) edge from the floor, including a 56.5 percent (13-23) to 33.3 percent (7-21) margin from long range.
- Rider hit 14-of-16 from the free-throw line (87.5 percent) to Niagara's 9-of-14 (64.3 percent).
- The Broncs edged Niagara on the glass, 26-25, including a 7-4 margin in offensive rebounding.
- Rider took a 34-28 edge in points in the paint, a 13-11 advantage off turnovers and outscored Niagara, 16-5 on second chances.
- Niagara's bench outscored that of Rider, 37-10.
- The game featured 13 lead changes and seven ties.
- Niagara led for 29:53 of game time to the Broncs' 5:30 with the lead.

Up Next
The Broncs return to action Tuesday night, when they open MAAC Championship play in the Opening Round vs. Siena. Tip-off from Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City is scheduled for 6 p.m. on ESPN+.