Siena improves to 5-0 with Friday win against Rider

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ » Manny Camper and Jordan King combined to score 11 unanswered points during a late, tie-breaking run to propel Siena Basketball to its first 5-0 start in 35 years with a 78-69 victory at Rider. With the win, the Saints tied the program’s Division I record with their 15th straight triumph, while also matching a program benchmark with their seventh straight road victory.

King scored a careerhigh 21 points and shot 5-8 from three for Siena (50, 5-0) which is off to the program’s best start since opening the 1985-86 season with nine consecutive wins. The reigning MAAC Player of the Week, Camper added 17 points, nine rebounds, and six assists in an encore performance for the Saints who built upon the nation’s third longest active win streak.

Dwight Murray, Jr. scored a game-high 25 points and Dontrell McQuarter added a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds for Rider (3-9, 3-6).

A tight game throughout featured 10 ties and nine lead changes, with the squads playing to a 31all draw through the opening 20 minutes. The Broncs went up as much as five on two separate occasions early in the second half, the final of which gave them a 46-41 advantage with 12:40 to go.

But Siena, which shot 60% in the second half, responded with an 11-2 run and never trailed again. Rider rallied to tie one final time at 59-all with 6:11 remaining, before the Saints put together their decisive run.

Siena scored the ensuing 11 points spanning 3:28 to quickly claim a decisive 7059 lead with 2:18 to go. Not only did Camper and King combine for all the scoring during the spurt, but the duo also drew three huge offensive fouls during the sequence.

Newcomers Nick Hopkins and Jackson Stormo chipped in 10 points apiece for the Saints who shot 54% overall. Freshman Colin Golson added seven points and six rebounds in 20 minutes off the bench in a spirited collegiate debut.