Taylor, Rider hold on to beat Niagara 85-83

Jan 2, 2014, 08:37 pm

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. -- Jimmie Taylor scored a career-high 24 points as Rider held off Niagara for an 85-83 win Thursday night.

Marvin Jordan's 3-pointer with 6 seconds to play brought Niagara within 83-82 before Zedric Sadler hit a pair of free throws, giving Rider (7-5, 3-0 Metro-Atlantic Athletic Conference) a three-point lead just 1 second later. Taylor fouled Wesley Myers with 2 seconds remaining and, after making the first, he intentionally missed the second free throw and Daniel Stewart pull down the rebound to seal the win for the Broncs.

Niagara (4-10, 1-2) trailed by 10 points after Khalil Alford's jumper with 2:59 to play gave Rider its biggest lead of the game, 70-60. The Purple Eagles scored 20 points, including 14 by Antoine Mason, in the final 2:44 but Rider made 13 of 16 free throws down the stretch to hold on for the win.

Mason paced Niagara with 31 points.