Who: Quinnipiac (5-2, 1-0) at Rider (3-4, 0-1)

When: 2 p.m., Sunday, Alumni Gymnasium

TV: None

Radio: 107.7 FM The Bronc

Last Time Out: Rider def. Monmouth, 89-83; Quinnipiac def. Fairfield, 83-79

Background: The Broncs opened the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference season Thursday night with a win over Monmouth and now face the other league debutante.

The Bobcats are off to good start, winning five of their first seven, including their conference opener against Fairfield.

Junior guard Zaid Hearst in the top scoring threat for Quinnipiac, averaging 15.7 points per game. He’s not much of a 3-point shooter, having attempted just 16 through seven games, but he does drive the ball to the basket.

Hearst is making 53 percent of his shots and connects on 82.5 percent from the line. At 6-foot-4, he is also an outstanding rebounder, averaging 10 per game.

Ike Azotam, a 6-foot-7 forward, also averages a double-double (14.4/11.3).

The Bobcats lead the nation in rebounding margin (+14.9) and offensive rebounds (18 per game) and rank second in total rebounds (48.4) behind Alabama-Birmingham.

These two schools have met twice with the Broncs winning both meetings. The most recent was during the 2003-04 season — an 89-70 Rider victory in the first round of the Hawaii Hilo Tournament.

Rider is coming off a road victory in its MAAC opener. Anthony Myles and Danny Stewart both had big games, combining for 25 of the team’s last 28 points with 21 of those coming from the free-throw line.

Myles ended up with a career-high 28 points, the second time he’s set a personal best this season.
This is just the second home game for the Broncs after playing six of their first seven away from Alumni Gymnasium.

Projected Starting Lineups: Rider: G-Zedric Sadler (So., 9.8 ppg), G-Jimmie Taylor (Fr., 12.1 ppg), G-Anthony Myles (Sr., 20 ppg), F-Danny Stewart (Sr., 15.7 ppg), C-Junior Fortunat (Jr., 5.9 ppg).
Quinnipiac: G-Umar Shannon (Gr., 13.1 ppg), G-Zaid Hearst (Jr., 15.7 ppg), G-Shaq Shannon (Sr., 3.4 ppg), F-Ike Azotam (Sr., 14.4 ppg), F-Ousmane Drame (Jr., 14 ppg).