LAWRENCEVILLE — Rider head coach Kevin Baggett can’t ask for much more from freshman point guard Jimmie Taylor.

During this rut in which the Broncs have lost five of their last six, Taylor has been the only consistent player.

He finished Sunday’s 69-60 loss to Siena with 15 points on 5 of 7 shooting. That came two days after he scored 19, including 13 of Rider’s final 15, in a three-point loss to Iona.

“My seniors should be stepping up and setting the tone for this team and they’re not,” Baggett said, lobbing a direct shot at Anthony Myles, Danny Stewart and Tommy Pereira. “I don’t expect Jimmie to do any more than he’s doing.”


Taylor, though, thinks there’s more that he can do.

That may mean looking for his shot more often.

“I feel I can be more aggressive,” Taylor said. “There are times when I can attack, but also, you know, I’m trying to get my teammates involved too. I’m still trying to find them shots because I want everyone involved in the game.”

Myles, Stewart and Pereira — inserted into the starting lineup Sunday for the ailing Zedric Sadler — combined for 23 points on 7 of 30 shooting. Only Stewart managed double figures with 12.

Myles was 1 for 12 and is 6 for 28 over the last two games.

“I’m sure there is,” Baggett said when asked if his team was suffering from a lack of confidence. “When you can’t make layups or free throws … that’s the start of basketball isn’t it?”
Rider dropped to 6-6 at Alumni Gymnasium with its fourth straight loss here.

That has Taylor and his teammates frustrated.

“We’re supposed to defend our hometown,” Taylor said. “You got to keep grinding, keep pushing forward. We’ll figure this thing out.”

Problem is they’re running out of time.

“It’s the other guys that have been here and understand what it takes to win and to be successful,” Baggett said. “It’s hard to win whether you’re home or away. Until those guys understand it and play with a little more sense of urgency and desperation than we’ll continue to stay in this rut.”