Broncs fall just short in first MAAC matchup of the season

By Samantha Clark

The Rider Broncs opened Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play at Merrimack University on Dec. 4, ultimately dropping 68-66 after a highly competitive battle. 

‘Great team effort’

Senior guard Zion Cruz opened the first minute with a 3-pointer, and after junior guard Caleb Smith’s two shots from the line, the Broncs were on a 5-0 run.

This momentum was continued by sophomore forward Cole McCabe, hitting a contested shot for two more.

Senior forward Shemani Fuller pulled down an offensive rebound, picking up more points for the Broncs off a reverse layup. 

Merrimack went on an 6-0 run, which Smith broke with a highly defended jumpshot, followed by another two from sophomore guard Flash Burton.

Cruz got the friendly roll after a layup in the paint, but the Warriors responded with another run, holding Rider scoreless for two minutes and gaining their first lead of the game.

Senior forward Mohamad Diallo snapped the Broncs’ scoreless drought, receiving a drop off pass and scoring in the paint.

Returning from an MCL injury, freshman guard Kristupas Kepežinskas logged his first minutes since the Nov. 5 matchup with Rutgers, making immediate impact with two successful free throws.

Strong efforts on both ends of the court from Cruz, Diallo and McCabe put the Broncs back in the game as they fought their way into contention.

With three minutes to play in the opening half, Fuller sank a free throw to tie the matchup at 30.

An attempted block by the Warriors sent Rider back to the line, where Smith put the Broncs up by one, their first lead in nearly 10 minutes.

McCabe knocked down a high-arching jumpshot for two, which later pushed him to a new career-high of 12 points.

“Good things happen for those that put the work in, and I’m so proud of him tonight and what he got done,” Head Coach Kevin Baggett said, “He’s only gonna build on that, and so will we.”

Fuller performed a crucial block on the defensive end in the final seconds of the first to prevent the Warriors from extending their lead, sending the Broncs into the break trailing 37-33.

Smith grabbed the rebound off a Merrimack miss to open the second, and McCabe  picked up two more points with a double-defended jumpshot.

Burton knocked down a deep two and Fuller later tipped in his own missed layup, leaving Merrimack scoreless for a minute-and-a-half.  

Just under the net, McCabe popped up for a layup, and with another tip-in from Fuller, the Broncs were down by just two points.

With strong defense from Diallo, Smith turned the block into points to tie it up 49-49 halfway through the second.

Burton, Diallo and McCabe each picked up two and junior guard Antwan Wilson’s 3-pointer gave the Broncs their first lead of the final half.

Merrimack drained a triple, but Rider immediately responded with the same from Kepežinskas at the other end.

With another 3-pointer from Burton just past the arc, the Broncs were down by just two with less than a minute left. 

However, in that final minute, neither team was able to get one up, rounding out the Broncs’ first MAAC matchup at 68-66.

“Great team effort, we just came up on the shorthand, but I’m not disappointed in that loss at all,” Baggett said, “I’m proud of our guys, I’m proud of the way that they competed.”

The Broncs head to Quinnipiac University on Dec. 7 in hopes of picking up their first win in MAAC play. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and will tip-off at 2 p.m.