Zedric Sadler had his best game of the season in the win over Marist. (Jackie Schear Photo)

The Zedric Sadler Rider basketball fans expected to see returned just in time to spark the Broncs to their first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference victory.

Here’s hoping that Sadler sticks around instead of the one who struggled to find the form which earned him the league’s Sixth Man of the Year last season.

“It’s been frustrating at times,” Sadler said Thursday night following a wild 102-100 win over Marist. “I just want to keep battling because it’s my senior year and I feel like I deserve to give this team my all. Whether I’m scoring, playing defense, I just want to be out there on the court.”

Sadler scored 17 of his 21 points in the final 1:06 of regulation and overtime periods. The 21 points were two off a career high and marked the first time this season he reached double figures.

“Coach has been telling me, ‘just keep shooting, play aggressive,’” said Sadler, who had eight of the team’s last 14 minutes, including two big 3-pointers and a layup after stealing an in-bound pass. “It’s something that I haven’t been doing. I feel like I can have a lot of these games. I just want to keep going with it and keep riding this wave.”

Since the Broncs are down to just 10 available players, only eight of which are in Kevin Baggett’s rotation, the fourth-year coach knows he’ll need the Sadler who showed up Thursday night.

“The play we drew up was for Zed to shoot it and when he had it in his hands, I said, ‘shoot it,’” Baggett said. “He let it go and it looked good from the minute it left his hand. Then he shot one from the opposite corner across from our bench, which then I think he was feeling good. He passed up on one more he should have shot. We’re going to need him.”   

Rider (5-12, 1-5) tries to go for two in a row Sunday (4 p.m., ESPN3, 107.7 FM The Bronc) against Iona.

The Gaels (9-7, 6-1) come into the game wounded following a 110-102 loss to Monmouth on Friday night, which snapped their 26-game winning streak at the Hynes Athletic Center. They have owned the series with the Broncs of late, winning 11 of the last 13 meetings, including the a nine-point victory on Jan. 7.