The Quinnipiac men’s basketball team (9-15 overall, 6-6 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) fell to the MAAC-leading Rider Broncs (17-7 overall, 10-2 MAAC) Sunday, 74-59. Rider’s Stevie Jordan led the way for the Broncs, with 18 points, followed closely behind by Dimencio Vaughn (16) and Frederick Scott (15). Cam Young had 18 points for the Bobcats.

“Obviously we had our work cut out for us that game,” head coach Baker Dunleavy said. “Top record in our league and deservedly so. [Rider] is a really talented group. I think at times we did a good job, but to beat a team like that and compete with a team like that, we have to play our ‘A’ game and I don’t think we did that.”

The three-pointer seemed to be a key component for the Bobcats’ game plan on offense, as it was heavily utilized in the first half. Jacob Rigoni led the way, going 3-for-5 in the first half behind the arc, with Aaron Robinson contributing a 2-for-2 effort for three-pointers as well, while the team went 6-for-13 as a whole. However, outside of the three, nothing was clicking as the team went 9-for-25 total, and Rider took a 40-29 lead into the half.

The Bobcats came out in the second half looking much better, as they went away from the three-pointer and Chaise Daniels and Cam Young each had good drives to the net consistently and closed the lead to 48-44. However, once Rider added a press on the Bobcats, it was Broncs from there on out. Quinnipiac tried to get the three-pointer going again, but found themselves unsuccessful, going 3-for-14 behind the line. Rider was able to control the game and came away with a 74-59 win.

“It was a different style defensively than we were used to going against,” Dunleavy said. “I wish we had more time to prepare for that, but we just need to be stronger and a little tougher with the ball. We need to be more aggressive and take some different shots.”

Rigoni credited the defense of Rider, but also took some of the blame as well for the lack of production on threes.

“They ran me off the line, they did a good job of that,” Rigoni said. “I have to do a better job in my decision making and be more solid.”

Turnovers were a huge factor working against the Bobcats, as Daniels had seven turnovers while Young had five. The team in total had 20.

“It was just the physicality and the pressure they put on us,” Dunleavy said. “I thought we were just not strong with our decision making with the ball.”

Quinnipiac will look to bounce back, as they will face Niagara on Thursday at 7 p.m.