NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. - Juan Mendez, who scored a career-high 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, led four players in double figures as Niagara defeated Akron 77-71 Saturday afternoon at the Gallagher Center.
Alvin Cruz scored 18 points and dished out six assists, while Tremmell Darden had 17 points and eight rebounds. James Reaves added 10 points for the Purple Eagles.
The Zips also placed four players in double figures. Andy Hipsher and Darryl Peterson led UA with 15 points apiece. Johnny Hollingsworth scored 14 points and had five assists. Derrick Tarver, who scored just one point through the first 30 minutes of the game, was held to a season-low 12 and was just 3 of 12 from the field.
The Zips had no answer for Niagara's inside game. The Purple Eagles held a 40-21 edge on the glass and shot 56 percent from the floor as most of their scoring came in the paint. The Zips shot 44 percent from the floor, including a dismal 25 percent from three-point land.
Despite the huge differential on the boards and in shooting percentage, the Zips stayed in the game with some timely buckets and by holding onto the ball. Akron posted a season-low seven turnovers and forced 16 Niagara miscues.
Down 50-37 with just over 12 minutes left in the game, Tarver helped get the Zips back in the game with three three-pointers over the next four minutes.
Akron whittled the lead down to 62-60 with 4:17 showing on the clock on a Hipsher deuce, but Mendez answered for the Purple Eagles with a conventional three-point play. A quick UA turnover led to a bucket by Darden and Niagara never looked back, hitting 8 of 19 free throws in the final minute.
The Purple Eagles jumped out to a comfortable 34-21 lead at the break after shooting 61 percent from the floor and dominating the glass. Niagara held a 24-10 edge on the boards, while Akron was cold from the floor, shooting just 30 percent, including an 0-for-11 drought from three-point land.
NU took control with a 9-0 run midway through the first half. Cruz keyed the run with five points, including one of the Purple Eagles four three-pointers. Cruz' layup pushed a two-point lead to 22-13 with 6:26 left in the half.
Niagara pushed the lead to 16 with three minutes left before the Zips scored six straight in the last two minutes of action.
