Tag: Rider Broncs

Oklahoma Baseball lands in Charlottesville Regional, face ECU Friday

Oklahoma baseball makes it back to the NCAA Tournament as they sneak in as an at-large team and will take on the ECU Pirates.

The wait is over. The Oklahoma Sooners baseball team has found its way back into the NCAA Tournament. The journey was never easy and was full of ups and downs, but the Sooners earned an at-large bid after selections were announced on the official selection show Monday. Oklahoma received the next to last at-large bid per the show’s hosts.

Oklahoma (31-26) will play in the Charlottesville regional with the University of Virginia (45-12) as hosts. Their first opponent will be the ECU Pirates (45-17) out of the American Athletic Conference. The Pirates won the regular season crown but fell short in the conference tournament as the Tulane Green Wave, who finished second to last in the conference, pulled off an incredible run to win the tournament title. ECU’s failure in the tournament effectively pushed ECU out of potentially hosting a regional.

Oklahoma’s inclusion into the field was in real doubt as of Friday night. The Sooners were at No. 40 in the NCAA’s RPI after bowing out of the Big 12 tourney.

With no overly impressive resume, Oklahoma needed serious help. They were only 11-13 in conference play and made no run in the conference tournament. One positive Oklahoma had going forward, which undoubtedly played a large role in its selection, was their strength of schedule.

While Oklahoma struggled, they also played a grinding schedule that battle-tested them. For a team that lost a significant number of key players from the 2022 run, earning a postseason berth should be commended.

It remains to be seen if they can replicate the magic of getting all the way to the championship series like they did last year, but getting in is the first step.

The fourth and final team in the region is Army West Point (38-16). If the Sooners make it out of the regional, they would take on the winner of the Conway regional hosted by Coastal Carolina, which features Duke, UNC Wilmington, and Rider.

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Oklahoma ends two game slide, coasts to 7-2 win over Rider

Oklahoma gets out of a two-game slide with a 7-2 win on Saturday against the Rider Broncs.

While the expectations are sky-high for the Oklahoma Sooners following last season’s trip to the College World Series, the Sooners have struggled out of the gate.

Saturday was a step in the right direction, though. Oklahoma bounced back from two consecutive losses to Abilene Christian and Rider with a comfortable 7-2 win Saturday afternoon in Norman, Oklahoma.

Friday’s loss was highlighted by the Sooners leaving 14 runners on base. In a game they lost 6-3, just a bit more execution probably changes the outcome. The Sooners took that loss to heart and responded with seven runs Saturday afternoon.

One player who has been consistent of late, Anthony Mackenzie, kept his hot weekend going by posting a 4 for 5 day. He’s now 8 for 10 in his last two games.

Freshman catcher Easton Carmichael delivered in the biggest way with his three RBI day, setting the tone for the offense. An RBI ground out followed by a two-run single from Carmichael in the bottom of the third provided an immediate answer to Rider, who scored in the top half. The Sooners took the lead, and never looked back.

Shortstop Dakota Harris drove in Mackenzie in the bottom of the 4th to make it 4-1. Part of Mackenzie’s four-hit day included an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth. Oklahoma scored on a sac fly, and Carmichael delivered an RBI triple to push the Sooners out to a 7-1 lead.

The Sooners’ pitching staff was stout from beginning to end. Big right-handed junior Will Carsten started the game and gave Oklahoma a quality start by spreading out three hits, one run, four K’s, and one walk over five innings.

That set the stage for Carson Pierce, a right-handed pitcher originally from Edmond, Oklahoma. He went on to spin four innings of one-run ball himself. He also notched 3 strikeouts in the process.

Oklahoma coasted to a comfortable win Saturday and now sit at 3-5 on the season. In the win, Oklahoma stranded nine runners on base. That’s something they’ll want to improve as they get deeper into the schedule.

The Sooners will look to win their first series of the year on Sunday afternoon as they battle Rider in the rubber match of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 1 pm C.T. at L. Dale Mitchell Stadium.

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Three Rider players Badger fans need to know

Wisconsin hosts in Rider at the Kohl Center on Tuesday evening. Badger fans should be sure to know these three opposing players.

Wisconsin (7-5) will be seeking its third victory in a row when it hosts MAAC member Rider (7-3) at the Kohl Center for the first time in program history on Tuesday evening in the Badgers’ final tuneup game before they dive into Big Ten play.

Wisconsin has won three of its last four contests, most recently picking up a much-needed victory at Tennessee over the weekend. After crushing the Volunteers by 20 points, Badger fans are hoping that this team has finally put its woeful fortunes on the road behind them.

The Broncs have been playing some great ball themselves as of late, winning five of their last six games. However, they are coming off of a 78-66 loss at Temple on Dec. 21, and were destroyed by Arizona State, 92-55, in their only other matchup with a high major program this season.

The Badgers should be able to easily handle Rider at home and keep their momentum going into conference play. However, it’s worth noting that the Broncs do have four players averaging at least 12 points per game, and could give Wisconsin some trouble in terms of individual matchups.

Here are the three players on the other side who Badger fans should keep a close eye on throughout Saturday afternoon’s contest.

Tyere Marshall – Center

2019 stats: 15.7 ppg, 10.7 rpg, 1.5 apg, 60.8 FG%, 65.0 FT%

Currently averaging a double-double, Marshall is Rider’s leading scorer and rebounder despite playing just 26.6 minutes per game (No. 5 on the team).

The 6-9 senior is No. 7 in the MAAC at 15.7 points per game, and his rebounding average is No. 16 in the nation. Marshall doesn’t do much damage outside of the paint but he certainly makes the most of his opportunities down there, converting a conference-best 60.8 percent of his shot attempts overall. He should give Nate Reuvers and Micah Potter a useful challenge as they prepare for the big bodies they will bang with in the post on a near-nightly basis throughout Big Ten play.

Marshall has scored in double figures in all but two of Rider’s games, but he is coming off of one of his least productive outings of the season in the loss to Temple (4 points).

Stevie Jordan – Guard

2019 stats: 14.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 4.9 apg, 2.3 spg, 38.3 FG%, 30.0 3P%

Nov 28, 2018; Morgantown, WV, USA; Rider Broncs guard Stevie Jordan (23) dribbles the ball up the floor during the first half against the West Virginia Mountaineers at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports

Marshall is probably Rider’s best player, but Jordan isn’t far behind.

The 6-0 senior point guard is the engine that makes the Broncs go, leading the team and ranking second in the MAAC in assists while also averaging 14.3 points per game. Jordan hasn’t had the most efficient season shooting the basketball, but he’s averaged no less than 11.7 points throughout his career and is still capable of taking over game over as a scorer on any given night.

Jordan is one of MAAC’s top defenders as well, averaging the second-most steals in the conference. He will likely be tasked with slowing down a red-hot D’Mitrik Trice throughout tomorrow’s contest.

Frederick Scott – Forward

2019 stats: 14.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.2 apg, 48.0 FG%, 41.4 3P%, 66.1 FT%

Things have worked out quite well for Scott and the Broncs since he opted to transfer to Rider after beginning his career at DePaul.

A Third Team All-MAAC selection last year, the 6-8 junior has averaged at least 12 points and five rebounds per game in each of the last three seasons. Scott currently ranks second on the team in both scoring and rebounding and is sitting at No. 9 and No. 5 in the MAAC in each category, respectively.

Scott also possesses some finesse in his game to complement his physicality on the boards, as he’s been consistently dangerous from long range throughout his career.