LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Flash Burton (Philadelphia, PA/Cardinal O'Hara) scored a game-high 21 points, Zion Cruz (Trenton, NJ/Donda [DePaul/Pratt CC]) added 16 points and Shemani Fuller (Bronx, NY/Cardinal Hayes [Clark Atlanta]) posted a double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds as the Rider University men's basketball team defeated Iona, 72-68, Wednesday night at Alumni Gym. With the win, the Broncs improve to 2-14 (1-6 MAAC), while the Gaels are now 12-7 (4-4 MAAC).

Rider scored the game's first four points and never trailed in the first half. A 7-0 run, including four points from Burton and a Caleb Smith (Atlanta, GA/Fredrick Douglass [Garden City CC]) three made it 16-6 just over seven minutes in. After the Gaels cut the deficit to three, 21-18, the Broncs answered with a 16-3 run, capped by a Cruz jumper to extend to a 37-21 lead with 3:50 left in the period. Fuller found Smith on a backdoor cut with 1:22 remaining to push the lead to 17, before Iona got a bucket to close the first half scoring with Rider holding a 41-26 lead.

Still a double-digit Rider lead, 56-45, with less than 10 minutes remaining, the Gaels went on a 9-0 run to cut the Broncs' advantage to two, 56-54, with 7:23 left. Following two Burton free throws, the Gaels' stretched the run to 14-2 to take their first lead of the game, 59-58, on a Kosy Akametu fast-break lay-up with 5:29 remaining.

The teams would trade the lead on consecutive buckets, before two free throws from Burton tied the game at 62-62 with 4:14 left. Toby Harris gave Iona the lead, banking in a three at the 3:34 mark, but the Broncs answered with a Burton jumper at the 2:56 mark before retaking the lead for good on Fuller's baby hook in the pain at the 1:53 mark. After getting a defensive stop, Fuller was fouled, made 1-of-2 at the line and Smith's offensive rebound led to a second-chance driving lay-up from Burton, stretching the lead to four.

Iona got a C.J. Anthony drive to cut the deficit in half with 47 seconds left and stopped the Broncs on their next attempt. But again, Smith was there for the rebound and Antwan Wilson (Salisbury, MD/Wicomico [UMES/Weatherford]) was fouled. Wilson made 3-of-4 free-throw attempts in the final 17 seconds to help ice the game.

Quotes & Notes
"We made it interesting, let's just say that. But I'm proud of these guys for sticking through things. Even when we lost the lead, guys kept their composure. Flash and Shemani made big free throws down the stretch. Our guys made some big baskets and got some bigtime rebounds to secure the win." – Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett

"The last press conference, like I said, at the time, we were 1-11 and I said we weren't a 1-11 team. We just have to execute better, be better. Like coach said, we've been working extremely hard. So, I feel like we deserved this win. We played hard. Like coach just told us, one game at a time." – Rider redshirt senior forward Shemani Fuller

(On whether Rider can get back into MAAC contention) "Definitely. All we have to do is follow the scout and trust Baggs. Baggs knows what he's talking about sometimes."  - Rider sophomore guard Flash Burton

- Rider has won the last two match-ups with Iona to cut its lead in the all-time series to 48-31.
- Rider led at the half for the third time this season. The Broncs fell in the first two (Nov. 25 vs. Coppin State, Dec. 29 vs. Manhattan).
- The Broncs snapped a program-long 12-game losing streak in the win.
 
Broncs by the Numbers
- Burton made 6-of-11 attempts from the floor, including 2-of-3 from long range to go along with 7-of-8 from the free-throw line. He added a team-high four assists.
- Cruz made 7-of-11 from the floor, 1-of-2 from long range, and 1-of-2 from the free-throw line for 16 points.
- Fuller shot 4-of-9 from the floor and 5-of-8 from the free-throw line for 13 points, while grabbing a game-high 13 rebounds and matching Burton's four assists.
- Smith scored seven points and matched Fuller's game-high 13 rebounds. Five of his 13 boards came on the offensive glass.
- Davis Bynum (O'Fallon, IL/East St. Louis [Cal St. Fullerton]) added seven poinst, six rebounds and two blocked shots in his return to the starting line-up.
- For the game, the Broncs outshot the Gaels, 46.2 percent (24-52) to 41.0 percent (25-61) from the floor, including a 40.0 percent (4-10) to 37.1 percent (13-35) margin from beyond the three-point arc.
- Rider also enjoyed a 71.4 percent (20-28) to 41.7 percent (5-12) edge from the free-throw line.
- The Broncs outrebounded Iona, 45-27, including a 16-9 advantage in offensive rebounds.
- The Broncs outscored Iona, 32-24, in the paint and 18-8 in second-chance points.
- Iona outscored Rider, 20-5, off turnovers.
- Rider led for 36:24 of game time to Iona's 2:35 with the lead.

Up Next
The Broncs return to MAAC play Saturday, when they travel to Saint Peter's. Opening tip from Run Baby Run Arena in Jersey City is scheduled for 2 p.m. on ESPN+.