RIDER (-1.5) at MARIST, 2 p.m.
Pick: Rider (-1.5)
Pick: Over 147
Rider, which began the MAAC season 5-0 and 7-1, saw its hope for a regular-season title dashed when it lost to Iona at home Friday night. In Sunday’s regular-season final the Broncs (15-14) still have a lot on the line.
If Rider wins and gets a little help it could still finish in third place and get the No. 3 seed in the MAAC Tournament. That means getting to play a team that was in a play-in game in the first round and avoiding Iona until the final.
Should Rider lose and a few things go against them the Broncs could tumble all the way to sixth place. While that would not only be embarrassing for the preseason favorite and a team that led the conference more than halfway through, it would also mean the humiliation of having to get through the play-in round.
Marist (12-17) made a nice little run to get to 7-7 in league play and then lost three straight. A loss at Siena isn’t all that bad, but the Red Foxes also dropped games to the two worst teams in the league, Fairfield (9-20) and St. Peter’s (8-21). Even a win Sunday can’t get Marist out of the play-in round, where they will likely get a rematch with either Fairfield or St. Pete’s.
Take Rider to bounce back and show some pride to try to at least finish in the top part of the conference. And take the over. The last time these two met Rider won, 86-85, so expect a lot of points again.