Princeton returns home looking for their first victory of the season at Jadwin Gym and Know! Your! Foe! is back with a preview of their opponent, the Rider Broncs.
Joining the site to answer my inquiries is Trentonian beat writer Kyle Franco, who almost certainly has seen more of the Broncs in person than you have.
My questions and his responses follow after the jump.
If you cover a team the Tigers will tackle down the line, let us know. I'd love to talk with you.
What's different for Rider in the first season with Kevin Baggett at the helm?
Defense. The first thing on Baggett's agenda was a commitment to defense. He wanted to press people and really get after them on the defensive end. He whipped these guys into shape in the preseason — a difference from the previous regime — and so far the numbers show that. The Broncs gave up 74.6 points per game last season, but this year they are limiting opponents to 65.6 points per game.
Can you tell people about 6'3" St. John's transfer Nurideen Lindsey and what he adds to the Broncs' roster (besides 12.5 points per game)?
He's a natural-born scorer. His game is getting into the lane and finishing through contact. He's also been asked to provide leadership and a calming presence. He's struggled a bit lately — mostly with turnovers (52 TO/18 assists) — and Baggett thinks that's because he's putting too much pressure on himself. He just needs to relax and the scoring will follow.
I'm surprised at how poor many of the Rider offensive numbers are through 11 games. Is there one root cause of their issues with the ball?
Turnovers. 17.7 per game is way too many. They've been hit or miss through the first 11 games. When they give the ball away — like they did against Fairfield (30 TOs) — it is tough to watch. But when they take care of the ball, and the drive-and-kick offense is clicking, they can still rack up the points. The big thing is they've been in every game because of the defense. In the past, if they didn't shoot well, they didn't give themselves a chance to win with their defense.
That said, how concerned should Princeton be about the Broncs' myriad slashing guards they can put on the floor and convert with decent accuracy from the perimeter?
If the shots are falling, very concerned. Rider can still score in bunches. Anthony Myles has really stepped up, improving his jump shot and ability to get to the rim. Keep an eye on him.
Conversely, is this a game where the Tigers should be able to establish themselves down low versus the likes of Junior Fortunat and Dera Nd-Ezuma?
Both are prone to foul trouble. Fortunat was the starter at the beginning of the season, but has since been replaced by Nd-Ezuma. That's seemed to work the last two games as Fortunat has provided some energy off the bench. That said, Ian Hummer is a handful for just about everybody and the Tigers should like a matchup in which he is one on one against either Fortuant or Nd-Ezuma.
The Broncs have been off for 11 days since their dreadful 30 turnover afternoon against Fairfield. Has this been more of a time to recharge or a time to stew?
Both. They've been taking finals this week too so they've had a couple off days mixed in. Eleven days is a long time for that performance to marinate. I anticipate a much cleaner performance — Princeton doesn't do much pressing so I'll be interested to see how the Tigers defend the Broncs because they're so loose with the ball.
The loss to the Stags is the only chance I've had to see Rider in person during 2012-13. Is their 6-5 record fairly indicative of how inconsistent this team has been from game to game?
There was some mystery about what this team would look like under Baggett with seven new players having to blend in. 6-5 is probably a fair indication of what this team has done so far. When they are good (the opener against Robert Morris) they look like they could be a contender for a MAAC title. When they are bad (30 turnovers vs. Fairfield) they look like they might finish dead last. Baggett is striving for more consistency, but he also expected some ups and downs as he tries to get them to play a certain way.
Let's fill in some blanks. The Broncs win at Jadwin Gym for the first time if...
Their pressure defense forces Princeton into turnovers and leads to easy baskets. Everyone has pressed the Tigers this season, and they'll see 40 minutes of it Thursday.
Princeton picks up a much-needed boost of confidence with a victory if...
It finds a way to turn the Broncs over and gets a big contribution from somebody other than Hummer.
Finally, let people know what you're up to this season and where they can find more of your coverage. Thanks again!
You can follow me on Twitter and check out the Full-Court Press blog.
