Rider returning to Las Vegas as part of non-conference schedule
Rider’s trip to Las Vegas went so well last season that coach Kevin Baggett is taking his team back in attempt to hit big again.
The Broncs will take part in the Las Vegas Classic on Dec. 22-23 at the Orleans Arena, a multi-team event (MTE) that also features first ever games against Washington State (Dec. 17 in Pullman, Wash.) and Drake (Dec. 19 in Des Moines, Iowa).
Rider faces reigning CIT champion Northern Colorado in Vegas and then either Cal State Northridge or Southern Illinois Edwardsville. The Broncs left Sin City with a trophy last year after they won a pair of games over Hampton and UC Irvine.
Interestingly, they’ll play three straight games in three different time zones.
The non-league slate also features three high-profile contests — all on the road — as Rider travels to Central Florida in the opener (Nov. 6), West Virginia (Nov. 28) and Virginia Commonwealth (Dec. 30) right before MAAC play begins.
“I think winning the Penn State game last year will give us the confidence that we can compete at a high level and compete against teams in the upper conference leagues,” Baggett said. “I think guys are more comfortable in understanding it’s not just a matter of going to play them, and obviously, we’ve had some success and we want to continue to do the same this year.
“We’re just not going out there and saying we’re playing these teams and they’re on our schedule, we’re going out there with the mindset to think and believe we can win some of these games.”
The Broncs only have three non-conference games at Alumni Gym, beginning with the home opener against Coppin State on Nov. 19. Other home contests feature Norfolk State (Dec. 12) and Robert Morris (Dec. 15).
The rest of the slate is filled out by trips to Wagner (Nov. 24) and Hofstra (Dec. 8).
MAAC play starts Jan. 3 at Fairfield.
Rider is coming off a 2210 campaign, MAAC regular-season title and berth in the NIT. All five of the team’s top scorers return, including All-MAAC first team pick Dimencio Vaughn (16.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg), second team selection Stevie Jordan (12.6 ppg, 5.9 apg) and Sixth Player of the Year Frederick Scott (12.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg).