January 27, 2007 - Rider 84 Siena 78
January 27, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Men's College Basketball
Rider University 84, Siena College 78
TRENTON--Junior Jason Thompson (Mt. Laurel/Lenape) compiled 31 points, 16 rebounds and seven blocked shots to lead Rider to a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference victory over Siena at the Sovereign Bank Arena Saturday. “Jason was unbelievable today,” said Rider head coach Tommy Dempsey.
For the Broncs (11-9, 5-5 MAAC), it was one of the biggest wins of the year. “One of the things our team has been lacking since we have gotten into MAAC play is a signature win against one of the elite teams in the league,” Dempsey said. “Siena is one of those elite teams this year.”
Rider defeated Drexel earlier this season, a team that went on to win ten straight and entered the weekend with a 15-4 record. “The Drexel win was a terrific win, probably our most marquee win, but being a conference game this win was more important,” Dempsey said. “Not only a league win against one of the top teams in the league, but also the fact that we had lost three in a row coming in made this win so important for us.”
Trailing 73-71, Rider out-scored Siena (11-9, 6-4 MAAC) 13-2, eight points by Thompson, to take an 84-75 lead with six seconds remaining. “Rider is a very good team with one of the best players (Thompson) in the league,” said Siena head coach Fran McCaffery.
The game featured 16 lead changes and 11 ties. “This was a quality win against a quality opponent,” Dempsey said.
Siena led 32-29 at the half and led 34-31 before the Broncs went on an 11-2 run, making three consecutive three point field goals, to take a 40-36 lead with 16:25 remaining. Two of the three point field goals were by sophomore Harris Mansell (Cheltenham, PA), who finished with 15 points and nine rebounds. The other three-pointer was by senior Terrance Mouton (Lafayette, LA/Acadiana), giving him 1,000 points for his career. Mouton finished with 14 points and five assists, and now has 1,008 for his career. “The win was more important than the 1,000th point,” Mouton said, “but it feels good to reach that mark.”
Siena was led by sophomore guard Kenny Hasbrouck, who scored a game-high 36 points, making five three-point field goals. “Hasbrouck was unbelievable,” Dempsey said.
Sophomore Lamar Johnson (Scranton, PA/Scranton) added 11 points for Rider.
Thompson tied his career-high for points and set new career highs in rebounds, blocks, and free throws made (15 of 18). Thompson made eight of eight foul shots in the final 3:16 of the game. “It was a big game for me because I was able to succeed at both ends of the floor,” Thompson said. “We knew this was an elite team in the league. The coaches did a great job in the scouting report.”
Siena’s Michael Haddon, a three-time MAAC Player of the Week this season averaging 17.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, was held to 10 points and seven rebounds by Thompson, while being the victim of most of Thompson’s blocks. “When I came into the league he was one of the guys I was looking at who plays my position, and I said to myself ‘with hard work I could be like him,’.”
“Jason did it all at both ends tonight, and that’s what the great ones do,” McCaffery said.
Rider out-rebounded Siena 42-39. “We finally out-rebounded an opponent,” Dempsey said. “That has been sort of an ‘Achilles heal’ for us this year. And today we did it with playing four guards for most of the game. Being able to out-rebound them with four guards was a sign that we were tough today. That’s what I’ve been trying to get out of this group.”
Rider plays at Saint Peter’s Monday.
-RU-
