Baggett reaches 200 career wins in Rider weekend split

By Rich Saile

Coming off a two-game losing streak, Rider men’s basketball came up with the victory over Saint Peter’s 67-64 on Jan. 31 to get back in the win column, which did not last long. On Feb. 2 the Broncs welcomed the Merrimack Warriors but were defeated in heart-breaking fashion, 66-64. The Broncs sit at 8-14 and 10th place in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. 

Payback on the Peacocks

Rider hosted Saint Peter’s University in the first matchup between the teams since the Peacocks ended the Broncs’ season in the MAAC tournament quarterfinals. 

During Greek night in Alumni Gym, the Broncs scored the first four points of the game off a layup by graduate student forward Tariq Ingraham and a jumper by junior guard Zion Cruz.

Up by a point with just under ten minutes left in the first half, the Broncs found their flow offensively with graduate student guard T.J. Weeks Jr. who scored seven points to help Rider go on a 14-2 run. The Broncs went into the locker room with a 34-25 halftime lead. 

Starting the second quarter, Cruz hit three jumpers while senior Jay Alvarez converted a jumper and two free throws to keep the Broncs’ lead in the double digits.

The Broncs held a 13-point lead with under five and a half minutes left, but the Peacocks ferociously pushed to keep the Rider defense on its heels running the fastbreak. Afterwards, the Broncs found themselves in foul trouble. 

The Peacocks hit a pair of jumpers that helped cut the Broncs lead to within a bucket with 25 seconds remaining in the game. 

After a Peacock hit what seemed to be the game winner, freshman guard Flash Burton converted the last four points at the free throw line to seal the 67-64 win for the Broncs. 

“Happy to get out of that situation with a win. I thought Saint Peter’s did a good job battling back, getting into the game. We made some ill-advised turnovers, but our guys hung in there and closed it out,” Rider Head Coach Kevin Baggett said following the win. 

The win would also mark the 200th career win for Baggett in his 13 years as a head coach with Rider. 

“It’s just a blessing. I’m thankful for our administration here. I’m thankful for my athletic director, Don Harnum. Thankful for all the players that have played for me. All the coaches, managers, athletic trainers – I love them all. It’s always been about the people. It will always be about the people for me,” Baggett said about the accomplishment. 

Close game loss

The Broncs hosted Merrimack College for the first time since the Warriors were welcomed to the MAAC. 

The Broncs offense started strong out of the gates with a pair of triples from T.J. Weeks Jr, a pair of layups and a 3-pointer from the right corner from Alvarez to jump out to an early lead. 

The Warriors kept the game close for the majority of the first half including a layup at the buzzer to end the first half. 

For the Broncs, Ingraham scored six points late in the first half as Rider took a one-point lead at the end of the half. 

The Warriors jumped out to an 11-2 run to begin the second half but the Broncs responded with a 15-2 run including a layup from Alvarez and a sequence of plays on both ends of the court from Cruz. 

Cruz splashed a 3-pointer from the right wing giving the Broncs a five-point lead but the Warriors answered with a 3-pointer of their own in the left corner. 

The Broncs held onto the lead until a Warrior got the ball and elevated for the go-ahead three on the right wing to give the Warriors the lead with eight seconds remaining. 

On the last possession, Burton attempted a floater down the lane that rimmed out and a missed tip-in by senior forward Tank Byard securing the 66-64 win for the Warriors. 

“It’s been very frustrating when we’re in the end of games and then there’s mostly us that do something that ends up making us lose the game. So it’s kind of frustrating in that way, but I try to tell the team that we’re in the game, we’re doing something right, but we gotta fix the things we’re doing wrong. And that’s how we’ll get over that up to nine meters,” Weeks said following the loss. 

The Broncs lost the turnover discrepancy 17-4, which helped the Warriors take a 16-4 advantage on points off turnovers. 

Rider out-rebounded Merrimack 37-24 with a 10-7 edge on the offensive glass and had the lead for over 25 minutes but snapped a trend of winning while holding the opponents to fewer than 72 points. 

The Broncs will travel to take on Sacred Heart on Thursday Feb. 6 and the game will be broadcasted on ESPN+. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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