Broncs fall hard in 12th-straight loss to Marist

By Samantha Clark

Adding another loss to their longest-running streak, Rider men’s basketball hit a tough 71-49 setback in their Jan. 11 matchup against Marist University, ranked fourth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.  

The nail in the coffin

Play for the Broncs opened with a smash to the glass as sophomore guard Flash Burton assisted senior forward Shemani Fuller in his dunk.

After two layups from Marist, no points were scored on the wood for both teams over the next two and a half minutes.

To break the scoreless spell, senior guard Zion Cruz hit a shot at the line, but the Broncs fell back into the pattern, going on another three minute drought, setting the Red Foxes off on a 7-0 run.

Junior guard Caleb Smith took a trip to the line and sank a free throw and senior forward Mohamad Diallo jumped to put one up in the paint, marking the Broncs’ first field goal in over nine minutes.

Marist continued on a three minute drought of their own, allowing for Smith to close the gap to five with a floataway jumpshot. 

Securing his first points since the Dec. 29 matchup against Manhattan University, freshman forward AB Coulibaly hit a long two, and freshman guard Kristupas Kepežinskas closed the point deficit to five, once again, with a free throw.

Marist went scoreless for the next two and a half minutes, with which Rider followed with their own two minute drought, until Cruz splashed a jumpshot from midrange.

Despite the pressure that the shot clock brings, Cruz then splashed a turnaround jumpshot less than a minute after the previous, and another 30 seconds after that.

Fuller found sophomore forward Davis Bynum under the net, who laid it up and in for two, putting the Broncs down by three with two minutes of play remaining in the first.

Maneuvering through defenders left and right in the post, freshman guard Jamir McNeil sank a layup to end the half trailing 30-21.

“I thought that’s the best we’ve defended in the first half all year long,” Head Coach Kevin Baggett said, “I thought our guys were really dialed and they really knew what was going on.”

After no points for the first minute and a half of the second, Marist hit a jumpshot, and Smith assisted Fuller under the net for one on the other end.

The Red Foxes then went on a minute-long 7-0 run, until Bynum splashed both of his free throws to break the unanswered spell.

Smith hit another at the line and later drove for the layup, securing the Broncs’ first field goal in three and a half minutes.

Breaking Marist’s 20- point lead, Cruz hit two at the line and followed with a floating layup to put a stop to another four minute field goal drought.

Once again, Rider struggled to find the net, falling into another scoreless pattern for two and a half minutes, until senior forward David Helterhoff secured both the defensive and offensive rebounds, allowing for Smith to hit a layup and free throw pair for the 3-point play.

Helterhoff repeated this dominance on the defense, securing the rebound to put him at the line, picking up one for the Broncs.

Trying their best to chip away at the growing deficit, junior guard Antwan Wilson stepped back for the jumpshot to pick up two and Helterhoff drove down the wood and through the paint for a layup.

With a corner three, Coulibaly put the Broncs down by 25 with two and half minutes left of play.

After a shot clock violation from the Red Foxes, possession was given to the Broncs, allowing for McNeil to drive for two in the final minute.

Cruz, taking advantage of the backcourt violation, hit a jumpshot in the post, putting the Broncs down 71-49 at the buzzer.

“When we face adversity at times, I don’t think we always handle it the right way,” Baggett said, “We’re not used to being in this place, but we’re here. Just gotta keep grinding.”

Despite the hard-hitting loss, Rider’s bench outscored Marist’s, with the Broncs collecting 28 points compared to the Red Foxes’ 25. 

The Broncs continue to search for their first win in MAAC play after falling to 0-6 on Jan. 14 when they host the Iona Gaels. The game will be streamed at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.