Broncs drop first matchup against Coppin State
By Samantha Clark
Rider men’s basketball returned to the Alumni Gym on Nov. 25 to host the Coppin State Eagles, but lost 68-65 after a highly contested competition, falling short for the first time in matchup history.
Broncs on the run
Junior guard Caleb Smith opened the floor for the Broncs, fighting against heavy defense in the paint for a pair of the teams’ first points.
A wide open 3-pointer by senior guard Zion Cruz, followed by another from the corner by Smith, continued Rider’s momentum.
The Broncs then continued on an 8-0 run, leaving Coppin State scoreless for a minute.
Cruz drove to the basket to toss one up, and later senior forward Mohamad Diallo tipped another in, putting up quick and easy points on the scoreboard.
Sophomore guard Flash Burton took a shot just past the arc that dropped through the net for the triple.
Two straight minutes of unsuccessful play on the wood for both teams followed, until Burton sank a deep two to break the streak.
An Eagles turnover allowed for freshman guard AB Coulibaly to sink a two from deep, which Diallo followed up with a jumper, despite the two defenders on his back.
Cruz hit another contested layup in the paint, using the glass for two more. He went on to lead all scorers with 18 points.
Cruz stole possession from Coppin State, which senior guard Devean Williams converted into an easy two, floating up in the middle of the arc.
Coulibaly slammed a one-handed dunk in the final six seconds of the half to put the Broncs up 37-24, their first time heading into the second half in the lead all season.
Eagles attack
Coppin State opened the second with a mere immediate 3-pointer, setting a different tone from the first half.
Within the first five minutes, the Eagles had picked up two technical fouls and sent the Broncs to the line seven times, allowing for Cruz, senior forward Shemani Fuller and sophomore forward Davis Bynum to pick up slow, but crucial points.
Freshman guard Jamir McNeil made an immediate impact on the court in his first 30 seconds of play, putting up a layup in the paint for the Broncs’ first field goal of the half.
Cruz splashed a layup and two more from free throws just a minute later, but with Coppin State’s contested jumper, it was now a one-point game.
Sophomore forward Cole McCabe hit two more from the line, pulling the Broncs out of their 53-53 deadlock.
Rider continued on a two minute scoreless streak, with Coppin State going on a 5-0 run, which pulled them in front for the first time since the opening two minutes of the game.
Burton tossed up a contested triple to regain the lead and Smith sank a jumpshot as he drove through the flock of defending Eagles to, once again, regain the lead for the Broncs.
Smith obtained his tenth rebound of the game, securing a double-double performance for his second time as a Bronc.
With seven seconds remaining, a pair of Coppin State free throws put them up by three. However, with a missed attempt, the Broncs fell to the Eagles for the first time in matchup history, 68-65.
“We gotta practice, we gotta get better,” Head Coach Kevin Baggett said, “It’s way too early to put our heads down.”
The Broncs look to break their three-game losing streak in their first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference matchup of the season at Merrimack University on Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
