EMMITSBURG, MD – Zion Cruz (Trenton, NJ/Donda [DePaul/Pratt CC]) scored a game-high 22 points and Flash Burton (Philadelphia, PA/Cardinal O'Hara) added 20 points, but the Rider University men's basketball team fell at Mount St. Mary's, 71-61, Saturday evening at Knott Arena. With the loss, the Broncs fall to 2-17 (1-9 MAAC), while the Mountaineers are now 9-13 (5-6 MAAC).

The Broncs scored eight of the first 11 points to open the game and the lead remained eight, 17-9, at the 13:14 mark following Cruz's fourth three-pointer in the early going. A Daniel Helterhoff (Cologne, Germany/Urspringschule [USC Upstate]) fast-break bucket at 10:58 pushed Rider's lead to 10, 21-11, before the Mountaineers began to chip away. A 7-0 Mount run to close the half tied the game at 33-33. Cruz and Burton led Rider with 12 points apiece in the opening 20 minutes.

Mount St. Mary's took its first lead of the game on a free throw following its first possession of the second half. Still a close game at 48-47 Mount St. Mary's following Caleb Smith's drive at the 11:10 mark, the Mountaineers answered with nine of the next 12 to rebuild a cushion and further pushed its lead to double-digits on a dunk near the five-minute mark. Rider could draw no closer than six the rest of the way.

Notes
- The Broncs lead the all-time series with Mount St. Mary's, 17-15, including a 4-3 advantage since rekindling the series as conference foes in 2022-23.
- Two Rider players scored 20 points or more in the same game for the first time since Dec. 4, 2024 at Fairfield, when T.J. Weeks Jr. and Tariq Ingraham had 21 points apiece.
- Rider was tied at the half for just the second time this season (36-36 vs. Eastern, Nov. 15).

Broncs by the Numbers
- Cruz made his first four three-point attempts of the game and finished with 22 points on 8-of-23 shooting, including 4-of-10 from long range. He also made both of his free-throw attempts, grabbed five rebounds and added two assists.
- Burton scored 20 points on 6-of-16 shooting, including 2-of-5 from long range, while shooting 6-of-6 from the free-throw line. He added four assists and three steals.
- Shemani Fuller (Bronx, NY/Cardinal Hayes [Clark Atlanta]) finished with eight points and a team-high 11 rebounds and two blocked shots.
- Caleb Smith (Atlanta, GA/Fredrick Douglass [Garden City CC]) chipped in with five points and nine rebounds.
- For the game, the Mountaineers outshot the Broncs, 52.2 percent (24-46) to 31.7 percent (20-63) from the floor, including a 42.9 percent (9-21) to 35.3 percent (6-17) advantage from long range.
- The Broncs took a 78.9 percent (15-19) to 60.9 percent (14-23) advantage from the free-throw line.
- Rider outrebounded Mount St. Mary's, 38-35, including a 19-8 edge in offensive rebounds, resulting in a 21-9 advantage in second-chance points.
- Mount St. Mary's took a 30-20 edge in points in the paint.
- Rider led for 20:05 of game time to the Mount's, 17:47 with a lead.

Up Next
The Broncs return to MAAC play Friday, when they travel to Manhattan. Opening tip from Draddy Gym in Riverdale, NY, is scheduled for 7 p.m. on ESPN+.