Robenson Baguidy, shown earlier in the season, led Rivier with 31 points to a win at Elms on Tuesday night. (Telegraph file photo by TOM KING)

CHICOPEE, Mass. – The Rivier men’s basketball team, behind Robenson Baguidy’s 31 points, bested Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) opponents Elms, 96-83, Tuesday evening at the Picknelly Center.

With the win, the Raiders improved to 11-13 (4-7 GNAC), while the Blazers fell to 10-14 (4-7 GNAC).

HOW IT HAPPENED

Rivier struck first as sophomore Matt Youngquist knocked down a three at 18:39, but Elms responded quickly, taking a two-point lead at 17:10 and maintained for nearly three minutes.

Senior Robenson Baguidy got to work prior to the midway point of the opening half, scoring six of eight of the Raiders points to build a four-point lead, 18-14, at 11:47.

Baguidy, senior Izaiah Shaw-Glen, and first-year Daylen Dalcour accounted for 22 of Rivier’s 28 points over the final 10 minutes of the first half, helping the Raiders take a 48-33 advantage into the locker room.

Coming out of the break, Baguidy knocked down two free-throws before hitting a three to increase the Raiders’ lead to 20 at 18:53.

Sophomore Steph Barnes added a three of his own followed by Dalcour finishing inside to give Rivier a 25-point edge, 58-33.

Youngquist cashed in from beyond the arc and finished a layup on back-to-back possessions prior to senior Jamari Williams and junior Theo Briscoe IV recording two consecutive threes to give the Raiders their largest lead of the night, 72-45.

The Blazers chipped away at Rivier’s lead down the stretch, coming within 11 points with 40 seconds to play however, the Raiders sealed the 96-83 win from the free throw line.

BOX SCORE BREAKDOWN

Besides his scoring, Baguidy helped paced the offense with four rebounds, and three assists…Dalcour added yet another double-digit performance, recording 19 points and nine rebounds…Shaw-Glen, Youngquist, and Barnes followed close behind, finishing with 14 points, 13 points, and 11 points respectively. Shaw-Glen recorded a game-high 10 rebounds.

As a team the Rivier shot 55.2% from the field compared to Elms’ 40.5%

UP NEXT

The Raiders return to the Muldoon Center for senior day and their final game of the 2025-26 regular season on Saturday vs. Emmanuel (Mass.) with the opening tip scheduled for noon.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

ELMS 62, RIVIER 43

With the loss in Chicopee, Mass., the Raiders fell to 2-22 overall and 2-9 in conference action, while the Blazers improved to 8-16 overall and 4-7 in the GNAC.

Graduate student Juju Nealy opened the scoring for the Raiders five minutes into the first quarter, finishing inside off a beautiful feed from junior Erika Fantauzzi. But, Elms built early momentum, taking a 20-11 lead after the opening quarter behind strong interior play.

Rivier responded with its strongest offensive stretch in the second quarter, shooting 54.5 percent from the field and trimming the deficit to 31-28 at halftime.

Nealy provided a spark from long range, knocking down key three-pointers to keep the Raiders within one possession late in the half. Elms created separation in the third quarter, holding Rivier to just four points.

Sophomore Hannah Smith and Fantauzzi accounted for the Raiders’ only points in the third period, each finishing inside to keep Rivier within reach

The Raiders continued to battle in the fourth quarter, highlighted by back-to-back three-pointers from Nealy and a second-chance basket from junior Haley Phillips. Despite the late effort, Elms maintained control down the stretch to secure the conference victory.

Nealy led the Raiders with 14 points, connecting on four three-pointers

Fantauzzi added 10 points and five assists. Junior Emily Coleman recorded six points and seven rebounds. Smith finished with six points in the effort

The Raiders shot 34 percent from the field and 26 percent from three-point range. The Blazers outrebounded Rivier 42-29 and scored 19 points off turnovers.

The Raiders will finish their 2025-26 campaign at the Muldoon Center for Senior Day, against GNAC opponents the Saints of Emmanuel College on Saturday at 2 p.m.