Photo by Gregg Slaboda/ Anthony Myles goes for a layup against Manhattan.

LAWRENCEVILLE — Kevin Baggett only needed one word when asked for the difference between his first year on the bench and second.

“Pressure,” Rider’s second-year coach said.

Baggett guided the Broncs to a 19-win season and second-place finish in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in his debut campaign.

In 2013-14, he’s set out to better that.

“When you win 19 games and have the year that we had — we finished in second with a chance to finish in first if Niagara had lost the last day — you just want to build on that and do better,” Baggett said. “It’s an internal pressure for me. I want our guys to win. It’s time to get over the hump and get to the NCAA Tournament.”


Rider hasn’t been to the Big Dance since 1994 when it entered as a 15-seed was knocked out in the first round by Connecticut.

The quest to get there begins Nov. 12 at Lehigh for the season opener.

The Broncs are counting on big seasons from seniors Anthony Myles and Danny Stewart.
Myles is the top returning scoring, having averaged 12.4 points per game last season. Stewart, a former MAAC Rookie of the Year, managed 10.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest.

Stewart said averaging a double-double isn’t a big leap for him.

The biggest hole Rider needs to fill is at point guard. Leading scorer Jon Thompson graduated and is playing overseas.

Sophomore Zedric Sadler was penciled in as a ready-made replacement after a strong freshman season, but he’s been slowed by a knee injury and is expected to miss the first couple weeks.

Freshman Jimmie Taylor will get the start at point guard on Nov. 12. Taylor looked decent enough in the team’s exhibition game, finishing with 14 points.

Taylor is one of three freshmen from Florida — the others Kahlil Thomas and Brandon Channer — that will likely see big minutes.

If Thomas’ performance (23 points, six rebounds) in the exhibition is an indication of what’s to come, Baggett may have a potential MAAC Rookie of the Year.

Rider’s highlight non-conference games are trips to Purdue and Villanova before heading out West to play in the Cable Car Classic in San Francisco.

“I like those team-bonding trips,” Baggett said.

The MAAC, as always, is wide open. Manhattan, which reached the title game despite having a sub-.500 record, is the preseason favorite. The Broncs came in at No. 4 in the preseason poll. Two new schools — Monmouth and Quinnipiac — bring the total number to 11 (Loyola left to join the Patriot League).

The conference tournament will be held in Springfield, Mass., for the final time before moving back to the Times Union Center in Albany, N.Y.

“At the end of the day, I want to make sure we are getting better,” Baggett said. “At the end of the year, what matters most are those three games in the conference tournament.”