RIDER GAMEDAY

Who: Rider (3-8) at Rutgers (5-5) When: Saturday, 5 p.m., Jersey Mike’s Arena, Piscataway

TV/ Radio: BTN/ 107.7 The Bronc Retro/ WOR 710 AM (Rutgers radio)

Last Time Out: Rider lost to Marist, 7967; Rutgers lost to Seton Hall, 77-63 Series History: Rutgers leads, 15-1. Rider got its lone win of the series in December of 2007 behind 32 combined points from the Thompson brothers and a Harris Mansell layup with 38 seconds left that broke a 57-all deadlock. KenPom Rank: Rider 288; Rutgers 102 KenPom Says: Rutgers 73, Rider 58 Scouting Rider: The Broncs return to action following a 12-day break in the schedule with the short 28-mile trip north to Rutgers. Rider had played 11 games in 27days across six states in two countries and two time zones. That span included eight games away from home, seven flight segments, three bus trips and 12 nights in hotels. Suffice to say, that break was much-needed to recharge for a team that ranks near dead last in Division I in offensive efficiency (effective FG% is 351st; 3-point% is 334th; 2-point% is 339th). The Broncs could use a big effort from Dwight Murray Jr., who hasn’t reached double figures in any of the last three games and is coming off a 4-point performance in 33minutes against Marist. Murray is still the team’s leading scorer at 13.3 points per game and it tends to go as he does. Dimencio Vaughn poured in a season-high 28 points last time and if he plays like a first team all-league player again and gets some help, the Broncs can stay in this game.

Scouting Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights have split their last four games — wins over Clemson and then-No. 1 Purdue and losses to Illinois and Seton Hall — and begin a stretch of three non-league games they will be favored by double digits in before Big Ten play resumes in the New Year. Rutgers, however, is susceptible to being sucked into a rock fight against a lesser opponent (see a home loss to KenPom No. 300Lafayette in which the Knights scored 51 points). Rutgers’ effective FG% of 44.8is not much better than Rider’s and sits at 304th nationally. But it has two players in Ron Harper Jr. (15.8 points, 7.9 rebounds) and Geo Baker (11.2 points and just back from a hamstring injury) who can get their own shot. The 6-foot-11, 240-pound Cliff Omoruyi (11.6 points, 6.7 rebounds) is a dunking machine and will be difficult for the Broncs to keep off the glass.