December 30, 2005 - College of Charleston 72 Rider 67
December 30, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Men’s College Basketball
College of Charleston 72, Rider University 67
CHARLESTON, SC—Rider fell to host College of Charleston Friday in the championship game of the Charleston Holiday Classic. C of C is now 23-1 in its own tournament, the only loss coming to Rider in 1997 when the Broncs won this tournament. “I’m very proud,” said Rider coach Tommy Dempsey. “We competed very well.”
Sophomore Jason Thompson (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape) led the Broncs with a career-high 20 points and 11 rebounds, and was named to the All-Tournament team. The ‘double-double’ was Thompson’s second of the season and the seventh of his career.
Rider (4-5) led 65-63 before C of C (7-4) scored the next five points to take a 68-65 lead with 3:37 left to play. That was the eighth and final lead change of the game. Dontaye Draper, who scored C of C’s first nine points of the game and finished with 30, made a three-pointer to give the host Cougars a 66-65 lead, and Draper made another three to give C of C a 71-67 lead. Draper was named the tournament MVP. “Draper took over down the stretch like we knew he could,” said Dempsey.
Trailing 48-42, Rider went on an 11-5 run, five points by senior Paul Johnson (Virginia Beach, VA/Salem), to tie the score at 53-53. Johnson’s three-point field goal gave Rider a 58-57 lead, and another three by Johnson gave Rider a 61-57 lead with 7:30 left to play. Johnson finished with 11 points, all in the second half, along with 10 rebounds.
Rider out-rebounded C of C 46-45, to become the first team to out-rebound the Cougars this season. “They are one of the best rebounding teams in the country,” said Dempsey. “We knew they had the size,” said Rider senior Edwin Muniz (Passaic), who compiled 15 points and seven rebounds. “We tried to beat them to their spots.”
Rider shot just seven of 36 from three-point range. “That’s a tribute to how well we played,” said Dempsey. “To shoot 31 percent from threes and still have the game come down to the last possessions.”
Trailing 29-22, C of C out-scored Rider 11-0 to take a 33-29 lead with 4:00 left to play in the first half, and C of C led 42-35 at intermission.
Rider travels to Saint Peter’s for a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game January 4. “Our schedule has helped us,” said Muniz. “This was like a MAAC game tonight.” “In the MAAC the College of Charleston would contend for a conference title,” said Dempsey. “This is very encouraging going into the league play. We can’t wait to get the league started.”
-RU-
