February 17, 2007 - Murray State 58 Rider 51
February 17, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Men’s College Basketball
Murray State University 58, Rider University 51
LAWRENCEVILLE--The Broncs fell to Murray State of the Ohio Valley Conference in the O’Reilly ESPNU BracketBusters game Saturday evening. “Being a competitor, they all matter, conference ramifications or not,” said Rider head coach Tommy Dempsey. “Every game is an opportunity to get better.”
With the score tied at 49-49, Murray State (14-13) held Rider to two points over the final 3:05 of the game, while Racer Danero Thomas made a three-point field goal and three foul shots down the stretch to lead Murray State to victory. Thomas finished with a game-high 19 points and seven rebounds.
Trailing 47-39, Rider (14-13) went on a 10-4 run, five points by junior Jason Thompson (Mt. Laurel/Lenape), to tie the score at 49-49 with 3:05 left to play. “We made a little bit of a run, but it was more a product of good defense than good offense,” Dempsey said.
Thompson compiled 14 points and 12 rebounds but played just 31 minutes before fouling out. The ‘double-double’ was the 15th of the season for Thompson and the 28th of his career. Thompson is 10th in the nation in rebounding, 25th in scoring and 29th in blocked shots. He had two blocks Saturday. Thompson now has 1,256 points, 15th most ever at Rider. His 714 rebounds is seventh highest ever at Rider.
Rider led 33-27 at halftime, but Murray State out-scored Rider 16-4 over the first seven minutes of the second half, six points by Shawn Witherspoon, to take a 43-37 lead with 13:00 minutes left to play. Witherspoon finished with six points. “We got off to a slow start in the second half,” Dempsey said. “From that point on I thought we were very competitive. We battled. With a four guard line up we out-rebounded them (41-38) so I think we played hard.”
Trailing 20-19, Rider went on a 12-3 run, four points each by freshman Ryan Thompson (Mt. Laurel/Lenape) and senior Terrance Mouton (Lafayette, LA/Acadiana), to take a 31-23 lead, and Rider led 33-27 at the half.
Mouton was honored prior to the game, the final home game for the Broncs’ lone senior and finished with nine points and three assists. “It was emotional at first,” Mouton said, “but once the opening tip happens it is just like any other game.” Mouton has now compiled 1,088 points, 24th highest ever at Rider.
Sophomore Harris Mansell (Cheltenham, PA) added eight points and eight rebounds for the Broncs.
The 51 points matches Rider’s season low for points, and the 27.8 field goal percentage was the lowest of the season. “We just couldn’t get the ball to go into the basket for us,” Dempsey said. “We got plenty of stops, we just weren’t converting those stops into points.”
The Broncs were 0-8 from three point range in the second half, finishing 3 for 21 for the game. “We’re one of the better shooting teams in our league, especially from three, but we never could get one to drop and it got contagious,” Dempsey said. “We had a lot of them halfway down, but we couldn’t get one of them to fall.”
Rider returns to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play next weekend with the final two games of the regular season at Canisius Friday and at Niagara Sunday. “We just have to go up to Buffalo and get two wins,” Mouton said. “Try to get some momentum going into the MAAC tournament.”
Rider will travel to the southwest corner of Kentucky to play at Murray State next year.
-RU-
