LAWRENCEVILLE – This was yet another unexpected low point – a game that Rider needed to win but came up woefully short.

In a 77-66 loss to Saint Peter’s last night at Alumni Gym, the Broncs had neither the efficiency nor the energy needed to beat the vastly improved Peacocks, who pushed Rider around in the low post and dominated down the stretch.

The Peacocks, coming off a double-overtime win Monday over Niagara, were hungrier, quicker, and flat-out better than the Broncs, who squandered a chance to build on a 22-point victory over Marist.

Wesley Jenkins scored 26 points, Ryan Bacon added 18 and Jeron Belin 17 to lead Saint Peter’s, which outplayed Rider almost throughout.

Justin Robinson scored 19 to lead Rider, which has lost three straight at home and two out of three overall. Ryan Thompson scored 14 points on 3-for-13 shooting and Jhamar Youngblood added 13 off the bench.

Rider (10-9 overall, 3-4 MAAC) trailed by as many as 13 and led only twice – 2-0 in the opening minute and 12-11 with 11:39 left in the first half.

Saint Peter’s, quicker to every loose ball in the early going, rode Jenkins’ hot hand to a 23-14 lead with just under 10 minutes left in the half.

Rider used an 8-0 run to get within one after Robinson hit back-to-back 3s, but Ryan Bacon ended the run with a 3-point play, extending the lead to 26-22 with 4:31 left in the half.

At the half, Saint Peter’s held a 21-13 rebounding edge and a 20-6 edge in points in the paint. The Peacocks, bigger, stronger and hungrier, also led 6-3 in offensive rebounds and 8-1 in second-chance points.

The second half started with a glimmer of promise but ended up being more of the same, the Peacocks stretching the final rebounding margin to 43-29 and the final points-in-the-paint margin to 36-20.