Rider In Cable Car Title Game; Iona To Face Florida Gulf Coast
MAAC Sports
Rider In Cable Car Title Game; Iona To Face Florida Gulf Coast
EDISON, N.J. – The Rider University men’s basketball team will play for the championship of the 47th annual Cable Car Classic when it faces North Dakota State University Saturday night at 11:15 p.m. Eastern time.
Two more MAAC teams will play intersectional opponents on Sunday, when Iona visits Florida Gulf Coast, and Siena faces Purdue for the second time in a week.
The Broncs advanced to the championship round by knocking off Rice, 97-93, in overtime on Friday night. Senior guard Anthony Myles scored 27 points, including the 1,000th of his career, to spark the victory. Another senior, Daniel Stewart, added 19 points and six rebounds despite being limited to 23 minutes due to foul trouble. Both Myles and Stewart were preseason All-MAAC second team selections after earning third team honors last year.
The Cable Car Classic is in 47th year and recognized as one of the most venerable of college basketball events on the yearly calendar. Through the years numerous standouts have participated in the Cable Car, including Michael Jordan and James Worthy of North Carolina, Bill Cartwright of San Francisco, Ralph Sampson of Virginia and Dennis Awtrey and Kurt Rambis of Santa Clara.
It was Stewart’s layup with 20 seconds left in regulation that tied the score at 84-84, and his blocked shot with two seconds remaining sent the game into OT. Rider scored the first four points in OT and never trailed again.
The Broncs and the Owls battled through 12 lead changes and eight ties. Rice hit a school record 18 three-point field goals, while Rider hit 12.
North Dakota State advanced to the Cable Car Classic final with a 91-85 win over host Santa Clara. Guard Taylor Braun scored 21 points, including 19-of-19 from the foul line, to lead the Bison. North Dakota State led throughout the game, although Santa Clara did cut the lead to one during the second half. As a team, the Bison converted 32-of-36 from the free throw line.
Two more MAAC teams will play intersectional opponents on Sunday. At 2:00 p.m., there will be a matchup of two teams that participated in the 2013 NCAA Tournament when defending MAAC champion Iona travels to Fort Myers, Fla., to take on Florida Gulf Coast. Florida Gulf Coast advanced to the Sweet 16 in last year’s tourney.
Later on Sunday afternoon, Siena will face Purdue at 5 p.m. in the battle for 7th place in the Old Spice Classic. It will be a rematch of last Sunday’s contest, when a young Siena squad battled Purdue to the wire at West Lafayette, Ind., before falling 81-73.
Both the Iona vs. Florida Gulf Coast game, and the Purdue vs. Siena game will be broadcast on ESPN3.