Men’s Basketball Earns Third Straight Win with 82-65 Victory Over Fitchburg St.

FITCHBURG, Mass. – The Rivier men's basketball team secured an 82-65 victory over non-conference foe Fitchburg St. on Thursday evening at Parkinson Gymnasium.

The victory marked the Raiders' first 3-0 start since the 2008-09 season, while the Falcons fell to 0-3.

With the score tied at 5-5 and 16:42 remaining in the first half, the Raiders ignited a 9-0 run to take control of the game. Junior Matt Constant fueled the run with five consecutive points, while graduate student Joey Merrill and junior Robenson Baguidy each scored layups, giving the Raiders a 14-5 lead with just under 15 minutes left in the half. Fitchburg St. responded to the early surge with a 20-9 run of their own to retake the lead at 25-23 with 5:45 left in the frame. The Falcons continued to build on their momentum, ultimately taking a seven-point lead with two minutes to play before graduate Kyler Bosse closed the gap with seven straight points for the Raiders, cutting the Falcons lead to 35-32 as the teams headed into the halftime break.

Both teams struggled to find any offensive rhythm early in the second half. The Raiders eventually found their stride, going on a 16-2 run that featured contributions from five different players over a 5:27 span. The run was capped off by a steal from senior Odarius Cade, who finished coast-to-coast to give Rivier a 55-47 lead with 10 minutes remaining. Both teams traded baskets and with 7:03 remaining the Falcons called a timeout, with the Raiders leading 62-53. Rivier closed out the game with a 20-12 run, highlighted by three steals and a block during the stretch, securing the victory.

Constant led the Raiders in scoring with 20 points, shooting an efficient 5-of-7 (71.4%) from the field, including 3-5 (60%) from beyond the arc, and 7-7 from the free-throw line. Bosse added 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds while Cade followed closely with 15 points and showcased a solid defensive outing with four steals. Merrill anchored the Raiders with his second double-double of the season, scoring 11 points and securing 10 rebounds while also recording three steals. Baguidy rounded out the double-digit scoring with 10 points on 3-of-5 (60%) shooting.

The Raiders aim to build on their momentum as they travel to face Roger Williams on Saturday, Nov. 16 at the Campus Rec Center Gymnasium. Tip-off is set for 3:00 p.m.