ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – Manhattan's season came to a close in the opening round of the 2022 MAAC Basketball Championship with a 79-67 loss to ninth-seeded Rider on Tuesday night.
Jose Perez had a game-high 21 points for eighth-seeded Manhattan (15-15), but Rider (13-18) had all five starters score in double figures to advance to the quarterfinals and a date with top-seed Iona on Wednesday evening.
Six different Jaspers supplied the first 20 points for Manhattan.
Warren Williams delivered six of those markers to surpass the 1,000 career points.
Rider built a 13-point first-half lead only to see Manhattan take a 27-26 lead with a pair of Perez free throws with 8:47 to play in the opening half. The two Perez free throws ended a 13-4 run for the Jaspers that lasted 4:04. The Broncs scored seven of the final 10 points of the opening 20 minutes to take a 42-26 lead into halftime.
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Samba Diallo corner 3-pointer got the Jaspers on the first possession of the second half. The Broncs answered with an 11-0 run to extend the lead to 53-39 before the first media timeout.
The advantage for Rider would grow to as many as 17 in the second half. Manhattan slowly whittled the deficit to 10, 77-67, with 70 seconds to play after
Josh Roberts went down Broadway for a dunk.
Manhattan would not get any closer inside the final minute.
Roberts finished with 10 points and seven rebounds. Perez added five assists to his 21 points.
Dimencio Vaughn led Rider with 20 points and seven rebounds.
