LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Flash Burton (Philadelphia, PA/Cardinal O'Hara) scored a team-high 21 points and AB Coulibaly (Philadelphia, PA/W.Philadelphia/Avon Old Farms) added 17 points, but the Rider University men's basketball team fell to fell to Sacred Heart, 105-85, Monday afternoon at Alumni Gym. With the loss, the Broncs fall to 2-16 (1-8 MAAC), while the Pioneers are now 7-13 (3-6 MAAC).

Sacred Heart was red hot in the first half, shooting 59.4 percent (19-32), including 55.6 percent (10-18) from long range, to take a 51-38 lead into the break. After the Pioneers scored eight of the first 10 points to begin the game, the Broncs responded with an 8-0 run to take the lead, 10-8, on Daniel Helterhoff's (Cologne, Germany/Urspringschule [USC Upstate]) finish inside off a Burton feed. But it would be Rider's only lead of the game, as the Pioneers answered with consecutive three's.

Sacred Heart created separation with an 8-0 run to push the lead to 32-21 at the nine-minute mark. Davis Bynum (O'Fallon, IL/East St. Louis [Cal St. Fullerton]) led Rider with 12 first-half points on 6-of-9 shooting, while Burton added 11 on 4-of-8 from the floor.

The Pioneers' lead remained double digits throughout the remainder of the game, with Sacred Heart building it to as many as 25 points late.

Quotes & Notes
"Tough stretch. Five games in 10 days finally caught us. No excuses. Give Sacred Heart all the credit. They really played well. They shot the ball well. We're tired. Played a physical game on Saturday. Back today. Five games in 10 days is a lot. And again, we just didn't play well." – Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett

- The Pioneers tied the all-time series with the Broncs', 2-2, including wins in each of the last two.  
- The 105 points allowed and 85 points scored were both season highs for Rider.
 
Broncs by the Numbers
- Burton scored a team-high 21 points and added a career-high eight assists. He shot 7-of-15 from the floor, including 2-of-4 from long range and 5-of-6 from the free-throw line.
- Coulibaly scored all 17 of his points in playing 17 minutes in the second half. He shot 5-of-8, including 3-of-5 from beyond the three-point arc, and 4-for-4 from the free-throw line.
- Bynum chipped in with 16 points on 8-of-13 shooting.
- Helterhoff scored a season-high 10 points on 5-for-5 shooting. He grabbed two rebounds and added two assists.
- Caleb Smith (Atlanta, GA/Fredrick Douglass [Garden City CC]) grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds, most by a Bronc this season (14, Shemani Fuller, Dec. 29 vs. Manhattan). He also added four points and four assists.
- For the game, Sacred Heart outshot Rider, 61.0 percent (36-59) to 46.5 percent (33-71) from the floor, including 55.6 percent (15-27) to 38.1 percent (8-21) from long range.
- The Pioneers took a 69.2 percent (18-26) to 64.7 percent (11-17) advantage from the free-throw line.
- Sacred Heart edged Rider on the glass, 36-34.
- Sacred Heart took a 32-14 edge in fast-break points.
- The Broncs' bench outscored that of Sacred Heart, 35-10.  
- The Pioneers led for 38:24 of game time to Rider's 22 seconds with the lead.

Up Next
The Broncs return to MAAC play Saturday, when they travel to Mount St. Mary's. Opening tip from Knott Arena in Emmitsburg, MD, is scheduled for 5 p.m. on ESPN+.