SCORE: Niagara 80, Rider 67
RECORDS: Niagara (8-15, 5-7 MAAC), Rider (12-10, 5-6 MAAC)
LOCATION: Gallagher Center – Niagara University
 
NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The Niagara Purple Eagles pulled away late from the Rider Broncs for an 80-67 victory on Saturday afternoon.
 
Game Summary
The Purple Eagles powered past the Broncs late in the second half as they outscored Rider 23-9 in the final 4:27. Kahlil Dukes started the run with a layup to push Niagara ahead, 59-58, for the final lead change of the game.  NU held a 63-62 lead with 2:20 remaining when the Purple Eagles went on a 7-0 run. After Dukes made a pair of free throws, Matt Scott drained an uncontested 3-pointer from the top of the key; Dukes followed with two more free throws as the duo combined for all seven points.
 
Rider trimmed the lead to 70-65 with 58 seconds left, but Niagara sealed the game at the free-throw line. The Purple Eagles, who are on pace of setting a program record in single season free throw percentage, made their next eight free throws.
 
NU had to rally from a halftime deficit. After scoring the game's opening points, Niagara trailed 13-4 after five minutes. The Purple Eagles cut the lead to 22-21 on a Scott layup with 8:09 left in the first half, but went into halftime trailing 37-31.
 
Niagara started the second half on a 10-2 run, capped by a Chris Barton 3-point play that gave Niagara a 41-39 for its first lead since the opening points. At the 10:35 mark, Scott drained a 3-pointer for his 1,000^th career point as NU trailed 48-46.  The score was tied four more times before Dukes put NU up for good.  
 
Eagle's Eye On…    

• Matt Scott finished with a game-high 18 points and a team-high 11 rebounds his fourth double-double of the season and 10^th in his career.
• Kahlil Dukes scored 17 points, including 15 in the second half, while going 8-for-8 at the free-throw line and had a game-high eight assists.
• Chris Barton scored 11 points, and Kevin Larkin finished with 10 points for his third straight game scoring in double figures.
• Dominic Robb raised his MAAC-leading blocks total to 57 with four in the game.
• Marvin Prochet added eight points and four boards, and Maurice Taylor Jr. had seven points and six rebounds in the contest.

 
Inside The Numbers

• Matt Scott became the 45^th member of the 1,000-point club at Niagara University.
• Matt Scott and Kahlil Dukes combined for 27 of Niagara's 49 second half points.
• Dominic Robb had his sixth four-block game of the season. His 57 total blocks are seventh most in a single season.
• Niagara won its first home game in the series since Feb. 11, 2012.
• The Purple Eagles outscored the Broncs, 49-30, in the second half, erasing a six-point halftime deficit. NU shot over 48 percent from the field and 82.6 percent from the free-throw line in the second half.
• Niagara finished the game making its final 12 free throws.

 
Up Next

• The Purple Eagles start a three-game road swing beginning on Thursday, Feb. 2 for their first meeting with the Fairfield Stags at 8 p.m.
• The game will air on ESPN3, AM 1400 WWWS and on the Niagara Sports Network via PurpleEagles.com.

 
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