Vaughn scores career-high 34 to lift Rider
JERSEY CITY » Dimencio Vaughn went off and Jordan Allen shook loose.
Vaughn scored a career-high 34 points, Allen finished with 13 — all in the second half — and Rider used a huge kick in the final 20 minutes to down Saint Peter’s, 88-84, on Thursday night at the Yanitelli Center in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game.
“It was all-around game confidence,” Vaughn said. “If I can make one, I can make another. It opens up more opportunities for me and my teammates.”
The Broncs (12-7, 5-2) used a 19-2 run in the second half to take a 15-point lead with 8:27 remaining, but still had to sweat out the final few minutes after the Peacocks (8-10, 2-5) rallied to get within two in the in the last minute.
Stevie Jordan played through the sprained ankle he suffered last Sunday at Iona. Jordan’s status was up in the air all week after he had to be carried off the floor and left the arena on crutches last week.
Jordan went through pregame warmups and felt well enough to play. He gutted out 36 minutes on basically one leg and finished with six points, six assists and five rebounds, including two huge free throws with 22.6 seconds left to put Rider up four.
Head coach Kevin Baggett handed Devine Eke his first career start at center in place of Tyere Marshall. Eke gave the Broncs nine energetic minutes, and Marshall responded to coming off the bench with 15 points in 28 minutes. The sophomore center was also 7-for-8 from the free throw line.
Davauhnte Turner had a career-high 34 points for SPU. He had 14 of the team’s 19 during a stretch in the first half in which it built the lead to 10 points. The Peacocks lost at home for the first time in six games.
Rider, however, came out firing in the second half as Allen scored its first 10 points in less than 10 minutes. Allen and Vaughn combined for the Broncs’ first 24 points in the second half.
“My teammates and coaches challenged me at halftime and said I needed to step it up offensively and defensively,” Allen said. “I just needed to be a better team player. Just seeing the ball go through in general helps the team out, and it helps me tremendously because then the rim is going to get bigger.”
Baggett barely substituted in the second half going with the Jordan, Durham, Allen, Vaughn, Marshall group that got the team the lead.
“This group was playing well together and I was confident in them tonight,” Baggett said. “I was going to ride them.”