ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Rider University emerged victorious in a nail-biting finish against Siena, securing a 78-76 win in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament thanks to a last-second layup by Tariq Ingraham. His crucial basket, coming with just one second remaining on the clock, was part of his impressive 19-point performance that night.
Moving forward, the eighth-seeded Rider Broncs, who recently reversed their fortunes with a four-game winning streak after previously losing three consecutive games, are set to face top-seeded Quinnipiac on Wednesday.
Throughout the game, Ingraham was a standout performer for Rider, also grabbing 13 rebounds. Aasim Burton contributed significantly with 17 points, connecting on 8 of his 16 field goal attempts and hitting 1 out of 3 tries from the three-point line. Zion Cruz, showing noteworthy accuracy, scored 14 points while hitting 6 out of 15 attempts, including going 2 for 4 from beyond the arc.
On the opposing side, the ninth-seeded Siena Saints were guided by the efforts of Justice Shoats, who tallied 19 points alongside nine assists. Gavin Doty supported the cause with 16 points, while Brendan Coyle chipped in with 13 points.
In the game’s first half, Burton’s early 13 points helped keep Rider in striking distance, with the Broncs trailing Siena by a narrow 38-36 margin at halftime. However, Rider surged in the second half, propelled by Cruz’s 12 points, ultimately outpacing Siena by four points in that period, which proved decisive in securing the victory.
