January 24, 2006 - Rider 75 Manhattan 56
January 24, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Men’s College Basketball
Rider University 75, Manhattan College 56
LAWRENCEIVLLE—Life in the MAAC. When the ball is tipped off, the standings don’t matter. “We expected to win tonight,” said Rider coach Tommy Dempsey. “We knew the students would be back. In this league you have to protect at home to get things rolling. Our confidence is building. No one in our locker room expected us to lose tonight.”
Senior Edwin Muniz (Passaic) scored 27 points, including 17 in the first half, to lead Rider to a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference victory over Manhattan Tuesday. The loss knocked Manhattan (11-6, 7-2 MAAC) out of first place. “Overall, we played good basketball tonight,” said Dempsey.
Rider (6-11, 2-7 MAAC) jumped out to an 18-5 lead, seven points by Muniz. “It was a big focus in the pre-game, that we trailed by significant numbers early in the last few games. You don’t make a living coming back from 19, 20 points like we did the last two games. I think Manhattan’s slow start tonight was a product of good defense.”
The Broncs led 38-21 at half time. “Defensively, we played a good first half,” said Dempsey. “When we’ve been able to get stops, we’ve done well.”
Rider led 47-28 before Manhattan went on an 18-8 run, six points by Arturo Dubois, to cut the lead to 55-46 with 7:44 left to play. That was as close as the Jaspers could get. Dubois led Manhattan with 16 points and 11 rebounds. “We knew they were going to come out strong in the second half and make a run,” said Muniz. “They’re always one of the better teams in the league, so we expected that, and I’m always a little extra pumped playing them.”
Rider sophomore Jason Thompson (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape) compiled his sixth ‘double-double’ of the season with 13 points and a career-high 15 rebounds.
Junior Terrance Mouton (Lafayette, LA/Acadiana) added 19 points, six rebounds and five assists for Rider. “Terrance was terrific,” said Dempsey. “He’s really been buying in to being a point guard, putting his scoring aside for the good of the team. The last two games I don’t think he reached double figures in scoring, yet I felt those were two of his best games this year. He’s a terrific scorer when he has to be, but he is now realizing he does not have to score to help us.”
Freshman Lamar Johnson (Scranton, PA) added eight points off the bench.
Sophomore forward CJ Anderson, Manhattan’s leading scorer (18.8 ppg) and rebounder (9.4 per game), was suspended indefinitely for academic reasons, and did not dress for the game. Manhattan played without two starters at Rider last season and the Broncs won 75-46. “Take Jason Thompson off of Rider’s team, or take the top player off of any team in this league and it isn’t going to be the same team,” said Manhattan coach Bobby Gonzalez, “but Rider deserves the credit. That is the least amount of points we’ve scored all year. Muniz killed us tonight.”
Jeff Xavier added 14 points for Manhattan.
Rider travels to Western New York this weekend to take on Canisius Friday and Niagara Sunday.
-RU-
