January 9, 2007 - Rider 75 Saint Peter's 67
January 9, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Men's College Basketball
Rider University 75, Saint Peter's College 67
LAWRENCEVILLE--Junior Jason Thompson (Mt. Laurel/Lenape) scored 22 points, including the 1,000th of his career, to lead Rider to a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference win over Saint Peter’s Tuesday. “Someone told me I was getting close, but I’m more concerned with giving my team a chance to win the game,” Thompson said. “I am proud of this accomplishment, though.”
Holding a 55-51 lead, Rider (9-6, 3-2 MAAC) went on a 6-0 run, four points by Thompson, to take a 61-51 lead with 6:50 remaining.
Thompson also grabbed 11 rebounds for his ninth ‘double-double’ of the season and the 21st of his career. Thompson now has 1,003 career points, 25th highest ever at Rider, and 590 career rebounds, 16th highest ever at Rider.
For Saint Peter’s (3-12, 1-4 MAAC) sophomore guard Kevin Spann made back-to-back three-point field goals to cut the lead to 55-49 with 9:50 left to play. 7’ senior center Kinzey Reeves made consecutive three-point field goals to cut the lead to 67-62 with 3:07 remaining, but that was as close as the Peacocks could get. “I thought we responded to a couple of their runs,” said Rider head coach Tommy Dempsey said. “We made enough plays to get out of here with a win.”
Saint Peter’s made 11 of 28 three-point field goals for the game, but Rider out-rebounded the Peacocks 41-28. Saint Peter’s has now lost its last seven games.
With the score tied at 22-22, Rider went on a 14-3 run, four points by Jason Thompson, to take a 36-25 lead, and Rider led 39-29 at the half.
Senior Terrance Mouton (Lafayette, LA/Acadiana) compiled 17 points and six assists for Rider, including four foul shots in the final :42 to preserve the victory.
Freshman Ryan Thompson (Mt. Laurel/Lenape) grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds for the Broncs.
Rider sophomore Harris Mansell (Cheltenham, PA) added 12 points, six assists and five rebounds, and junior Kam Warner (Pleasantville) scored a career-high 12 points.
Junior guard Raul Orta compiled 13 points and seven assists for Saint Peter’s. Brandon Brock led the Peacocks with 14 points off the bench.
The victory was Rider’s ninth, after winning just eight last season. “Before the season started I felt we would surpass last year’s total, I just didn’t know how soon,” Dempsey said. “We’re right where we need to be right now. We’re 3-2 in the league and we’re playing better.”
The Peacocks dressed just seven players for the third consecutive game. Not dressed was 6’8” junior forward Todd Sowell, who led the MAAC in rebounding last season and is averaging 14.3 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, and is the Peacock career leader in blocked shots. Sowell started 11 of the first 12 games of the season. “My hat’s off to Saint Peter’s,” Dempsey said. “They came in a little under-manned tonight and I told our guys that some other guys for them now have an opportunity to step up and they did. They played well.”
Rider is now 5-1 at home this season and has won 103 of its last 136 games (.757) in friendly Alumni Gymnasium.
Saint Peter’s defeated Rider three times last season, in overtime at Saint Peter’s, in the regular season finale at Rider and again in the MAAC playoffs. Rider swept Saint Peter’s in 2004-05. “This is a big rivalry game, and I certainly reminded our guys that they beat us on Senior Day and they beat us in the MAAC tournament, and those were obviously games we really wanted and weren’t able to get against them, so we came in here hungry tonight,” Dempsey said.
Rider travels to Fairfield Friday.
-RU-
