November 11, 2006 - Rider 96 Wilkes 52 (Exhibition)
November 11, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Men’s College Basketball (exhibition)
Rider University 96, Wilkes University 52
LAWRENCEVILLE—The Broncs tuned up for the upcoming season opener at NJIT with an exhibition win over Wilkes University Saturday. “What I like about exhibition games is that on Tuesday night it won’t feel like it is our first game,” said Rider head coach Tommy Dempsey. “Everybody got their uniform on, we had some people in the crowd, and we got a lot of the nerves out.”
Junior Jason Thompson (Mt. Laurel/Lenape) compiled 29 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots, including 16 points in the first half on seven for eight shooting. “I knew Jason was going to be a handful for them,” Dempsey said. “They aren’t going to have an answer for him. They played him hard and physical, but he was able to out-talent their kids.”
Rider jumped out to a 9-0 lead, four points by Jason Thompson. Holding a 19-13 lead, Rider went on an 8-0 run, four points by junior Joel Green (Philadelphia, PA/Harrison), to take a 27-13 lead. Green finished with 11 points and seven rebounds in his Alumni Gym debut.
The Broncs led 27-17 before going on a 5-1 run, all five points by Jason Thompson, to take a 32-18 lead. “I think we have to be more consistent on the defensive end,” Thompson said. “In the beginning everyone got the jitters out. In the seconds half we played with more energy on the defensive end.”
“We have a lot of work to do,” Dempsey said. “We weren’t clicking yet, but there isn’t a team in the country that is playing their best basketball on November 11, or even December 11. It is a work in progress. You try to learn from every game.”
Rider scored the final nine points of the first half, four by senior Terrance Mouton (Lafayette, LA/Acadiana), to take a 45-29 lead at intermission. Mouton finished with 17 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. The Broncs then scored the first 11 points of the second half, six by Jason Thompson to take a 56-29 lead with 16:45 left to play.
“I still think we have a lot of work to do,” Mouton said. “That’s about all you can take from a game like this, finding out what you still need to work on.”
“I was impressed with Wilkes, to be honest with you,” Dempsey said. “They played very hard and are very well coached. I don’t think the score was indicative of how hard they played against us. We eventually wore them down with some pressure. We forced quite a bit of turnovers in the second half. I think they physically tired. My hat goes off to Wilkes. They were ready to play.”
Sophomore Lamar Johnson (Scranton, PA/Scranton) added 13 points, while freshman Ryan Thompson (Mt. Laurel/Lenape) added nine points and six rebounds.
Rider out-scored Wilkes 51-23 in the second half. “In the second half we really turned up the heat and got out in our transition game,” Dempsey said. “We’ve been ready to play for six months, after a disappointing season last year. I think when we go up to NJIT on Tuesday we’ll feel like we have one under our belt.”
Rider begins the 2006-07 season at NJIT Tuesday. NJIT began its Division I era with a victory over Manhattan Saturday. “That will help our focus,” said Dempsey. “They’ve been recruiting Division I players the last couple of years, knowing they were going to be a D-I team this year.”
“We’re going to have to play hard to win Tuesday,” Mouton said.
-RU-
