Rider Hosts ESPN for 6 AM Game
Rider Sports Information
Lawrenceville, N.J. - The Rider University men's basketball team will wake up America on Tuesday, November 15 when the Broncs host Drexel University for a 6:00 a.m. game televised nationally on ESPN.
"The 6 a.m. ESPN game with Drexel is going to be a lot of fun," said Rider head coach Tommy Dempsey, who won a program-record 22 regular season games last year. "It seems everyone on campus is looking forward to the game. This is going to be a strong Drexel team so we will need our student body and fans to set the alarm clocks and come out and support us."
"From an athletics marketing and branding perspective, I'm excited Rider is part of ESPN's tip-off marathon," said Karin Torchia, Rider's Associate AD for External Affairs. "It will give us a chance to do some really unique pre-game programming for our students and fans, in conjunction with Rider's Office of Campus Life, and get them excited about the 6am game. The planning for that is in the initial stages right now, but we're looking to start the festivities at about 2am in our Student Recreation Center adjacent to Alumni Gym with all kinds of music, contests, prizes and giveaways."
The 2011-12 schedule begins with an exhibition game November 5. Rider will play national powers Pittsburgh and Florida and will compete in the Philly Classic, hosting the University of Pennsylvania while playing at the Palestra Thanksgiving weekend against James Madison and La Salle.
The MAAC portion of the schedule, as well as a list of other televised Rider games, will be announced in the near future.