Men’s Basketball Powers Past Anna Maria, 73-68

NASHUA, N.H. – In a second half with 12 lead changes, Rivier men's basketball used a late surge to power past Anna Maria in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) clash on Wednesday night at the Muldoon Center, winning by a final score of 73-68.

With the win, the Raiders snapped a two-game skid and improved to 11-4 (4-2) while the AMCATS dropped to 6-11 (1-5 GNAC).

Rivier started the game with three made baskets to take a 7-0 lead and force Anna Maria to call a timeout just 1:44 into the contest. Out of the huddle, Robenson Baguidy made three-pointers on back-to-back offensive possessions to put the home side up 15-6 with 14:54 left in the half. The AMCATS would go on a 9-0 run over the next 2:05 to tie the contest.

A Jayden Dickerson three-pointer after a Riv bucket would give the visitors their first lead of the contest, 18-17. With under 10 minutes to play, Nikolas Pignone and Devin Owens three pointers on consecutive possessions built up a seven-point lead for the Raiders.

A seven-point swing over the next 2:14 would re-tie the game at 25-25. The score would tie three more times over the remainder of the half before an Odarius Cade three with 1:02 left gave Rivier a slight 34-31 margin as both teams went to the locker rooms.

Baguidy and Owens each scored 11 points in the opening 20 minutes.

The second half would be a grind as the lead changed 12 times with four tie scores.

A Pignone three-pointer with 1:38 to go would prove to be the difference maker as the graduate guard put the Raiders up 69-62. Despite a late push by Anna Maria, Rivier would hold on for a 73-68 victory with Cade and Pignone hitting key free throws down the stretch.

Four Raiders finished in double-digit point totals as Cade scored 20, both Baguidy and Owens scored 16, and Pignone finished with 10. Both Joseph Melvin and Owens hauled in six rebounds while Baguidy dished out five assists. Both Cade and Pignone went 4-for-6 from the free throw stripe as Rivier hit 12-of-19 free throws.

Rivier shot 44.8% from the floor while hitting 9-of-25 (36%) of its three-point attempts compared to Anna Maria's 45.6% field goal and 28.6% three-point percentage. Despite the victory, the Raiders were outrebounded, 34-26.

The Raiders will continue their GNAC slate in a road matchup at Albertus Magnus on Saturday, Jan. 20 at 3:00 p.m. at the Messer Athletic Center.