Rider tries for season-high 5-game winning streak vs. Monmouth

    Rider’s Dimenico Vaughn, center, tries to drive between Saint Peter’s Nick Griffin, left, and Nnamdi Enechionyia, right, during Friday night’s MAAC game. (John Blaine/ For The Trentonian)
    Rider’s Dimenico Vaughn, center, tries to drive between Saint Peter’s Nick Griffin, left, and Nnamdi Enechionyia, right, during Friday night’s MAAC game. (John Blaine/ For The Trentonian)

    Who: Monmouth (7-13, 3-5) at Rider (15-7, 8-2)

    When: Monday, 7 p.m., Alumni Gymnasium

    TV/ Radio: None/ 107.7 FM The Bronc

    Last Time Out: Rider def. Saint Peter’s, 63-60; Monmouth def. Marist, 91-78

    Series History: Rider leads 28-20

    Background: The Broncs go for a season-high fifth win in a row.

    MAAC Standings: Rider (8-2); Canisius (7-2); Iona (7-2); Niagara (7-3); Quinnipiac (6-4); Manhattan (5-5); Monmouth (3-5); Saint Peter’s (2-7); Fairfield (2-7); Siena (2-7); Marist (2-7)

    Living Dangerously: During this four-game winning streak, the Broncs have made a habit of pulling out nail-biting victories. In the last two victories — over Fairfield and Saint Peter’s — Rider has led for a grand total of 2:20 out of 40 second-half minutes. The Broncs start the night in sole possession of first place, a 1/2 game ahead of Canisius and Iona. The question, from a Rider perspective, is how it handles the spotlight.

    Scouting Monmouth: Don’t let the Hawks’ position in the league table fool you. This is still a dangerous team that has won two straight after a 1-5 start in league. All-MAAC guard Micah Seaborn has been limited to 13 games due to knee and ankle injuries, but he’s posting 14.8 points per game when he does play. Seaborn missed Monmouth’s win over Siena but returned to score 10 in 13 minutes off the bench vs. Marist. King Rice’s squad doesn’t have the explosive playemakers it did the past two seasons, but senior guard Austin Tilghman is having an excellent season, averaging 11.5 points, six rebounds and 5.1 assists. He had a triple-double in a victory over Yale. The Hawks will be pumped up to face the new league leaders.