Rider to Host Stony Brook in ESPN Tip-Off Marathon
Rider Sports Information
LAWRENCEVILLE - For the second season in a row, the Rider University men's basketball team will be part of the ESPN 24-hour marathon of college hoops, hosting Stony Brook University at 6am on Tuesday, November 13 in Alumni Gymnasium.
The game, part of the fifth annual Tip-Off Marathon, will be televised live on ESPN and available on WatchESPN.
"We are excited to have an opportunity to play the 6am ESPN game against Stony Brook," said Kevin Baggett, in his first season as head coach of the Broncs. "Our fans did a great job of coming out and supporting the game in mass numbers last season. Stony Brook is predicted to be one of the top teams in the America East Conference. I'm excited for the country to see how great our Rider fans are and to have an opportunity to showcase the talent we have on our team."
Rider hosted Drexel in the 6am game last season before a sold out crowd and national television audience.
"From an athletics marketing and branding perspective, I'm excited Rider is part of ESPN's tip-off marathon for the second year in a row," said Karin Torchia, Rider's Associate AD for External Operations & Development/SWA. "I think the fact that we were selected for the 6am game again this year speaks volumes about the terrific support we received from our students, faculty, staff and fans last season. It will give us another chance to do some really unique pre-game programming, in conjunction with Rider's Office of Campus Life, and will help us get everyone excited about watching our men's basketball team playa 6am game. The planning for that is in the initial stages right now, but we're looking to start the festivities at about 4am in either our Student Recreation Center adjacent to Alumni Gym or the newly renovated Daly dining hall with all kinds of music, prizes, face painting and giveaways."
Last season, Rider had 11 games on the ESPN family of networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3 and ESPNU).
Rider and Stony Brook last met on December 30, 2011 with the Seawolves winning 79-62 at Stony Brook. The Broncs are 3-1 all-time against the Seawolves.
Stony Brook is coming off a 22-win season, winning the America East regular season championship and advancing to the NIT.
Rider is coming off a 14-19 season but the Broncs finished the season strong (13-9) and placed fifth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference with a 10-8 record, losing 65-63 to Fairfield in the MAAC quarterfinals.
The game against Stony Brook will be the second of three straight home games to open the 2012-13 season. The Broncs begin the season, hosting Robert Morris and in-state rival Monmouth.
2012 ESPN College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon Schedule - ESPN
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
12 a.m - West Virginia @ Gonzaga
2 a.m. - Davidson @ New Mexico
4 a.m. - Houston Baptist @ Hawaii
6 a.m. - Stony Brook @ Rider
8 a.m. - Northern Illinois @ Valparaiso
10 a.m. - Harvard @ Massachusetts
12 p.m. - Temple @ Kent State
2 p.m. - Detroit @ St. John's
4 p.m. - Butler @ Xavier
6 p.m. - College GameDay covered by State Farm (live from the Georgia Dome - Atlanta, GA)
7 p.m. - Michigan State vs. Kansas (Champions Classic, Georgia Dome - Atlanta, GA)
(Approx 30 min following MSU/KU) - Duke vs. Kentucky (Champions Classic, Georgia Dome - Atlanta, GA)