ZOO KEEPERS
Rider stuns Marist with another comeback to make its home winning streak a Sweet 16
LAWRENCEVILLE >> When Jordan Allen crumpled to the floor and needed to be helped back to the sideline, it was so quiet inside Alumni Gymnasium that you could hear a pin drop.
By the time 40 exhilarating and exhausting minutes had ticked off the clock, Allen had shook off a turned ankle and the old gym jumping.
Allen scored all 14 of his points in the second half, helping spark another massive comeback as Rider erased a 16-point deficit and beat Marist, 86-85, on Sunday afternoon for its 16th straight home victory.
“We look for everybody to get shots and we all just feed off each other,” said Allen, who made four of his eight attempts from beyond the arc. “Once we see Devine get a layup or Stevie hit a 3 or Dimencio hit a 3, we get hype and know that we have to make a run to win the game.”
The Broncs (11-8, 6-1) have now trailed by double digits in four of their seven MAAC game. Amazingly, they are 3-1 in those contests, including Sunday’s rally from a 16-point deficit with 13:12 remaining.
The comeback was sparked by a smaller lineup with Devine Eke at the five flanked by Stevie Jordan, Kimar Williams, Anthony Durham and Allen. Dimencio Vaughn, who was in foul trouble all afternoon, eventually returned and scored seven key points late to help complete the comeback.
Allen drilled three of his four 3s during a 16-0 run to tie the game at 62 with 8:12 remaining. From there it was back-and-forth until the Broncs surged in front with a 10-3 push, which Jordan punctuated by sinking a 3-pointer for a six-point edge (79-73) with 2:22 left.
“When we were down, I knew that this was my time to shine,” said Eke, who helped swing the momentum with three blocked shots. “This is what I do. I played defense and I can get everyone in. When I get in this game, I’m going to play hard, play with energy. I was confident we were going to come back.”
“Once you get one, you know the crowd is going to feed off of it,” Allen said. “We started to get them into it and we know we get more of a yell and more a loud atmosphere. Us as a team, we just look at each other like it’s time to go.”
Rider is no stranger to a comeback against Marist. The Broncs rallied from a 21-point second-half deficit to win in Poughkeepsie last season.
The win wasn’t secure until Durham hit all four of his free throws in the final 22 seconds and Rider executed a well-drawn up inbound play to escape Marist pressure in the final seconds.
The Broncs finished with six players in double figures for the second time. The last time that happened prior to this season was during 201011. Jordan netted a team-high 18 points, while Frederick Scott (15), Vaughn (12), Allen (14), Durham (10) and Tyere Marshall (10) joined him in double figures.
Jordan logged 37 minutes in Friday’s loss at Iona and another 33 on Sunday.
“He was 4-for-5 from the 3 and he’s leading the team,” Baggett said. “He’s doing the things we ask him to do. Stevie does it all for us, but he’s grown up. That’s the thing about him, he’s not only a point guard, but he’s getting after the guys in the press defensively and he set the tone. Some of those 3s he hit were huge.”
While Rider still sits alone atop the league standings, this can’t be allowed to paper over the cracks that got it in a double-digit deficit.
Marist (7-13, 2-6) made 15-of-27 from beyond the arc and Ryan Funk torched the Broncs for a career-high 32 points on 10-for-15 shooting (7-for-11 from 3). Brian Parker added 19 points, but he was at least limited to just six in the second half.
Perhaps the best way to describe it: Just another day in the MAAC.
“What a comeback,” Baggett said. “It’s tough to play against any John Dunne team. He must know me inside-out and know what underwear I’m going to put on because he’s on everything that we do. His team plays well for him, and we’re fortunate to find another way to win today.
“We make life interesting. These guys never quit, though.”