Junior Juan Mendez scored a career-high 37 points to help Niagara beat Canisius in both teams MAAC opener Wednesday night. |
BUFFALO, N.Y. - Behind 31 second-half points by junior Juan Mendez (Montreal, Quebec), the Niagara University men’s basketball team picked up a 109-106 overtime victory over Canisius in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action Wednesday at HSBC Arena. It was the highest-scoring game in the 156 meetings between the two schools.
Mendez, who finished with a career-high 37 points and 15 rebounds, gave Niagara its first lead since 2-0 with a three-point play to give the Purple Eagles an 89-87 with 2:58 to play in regulation.
After Canisius took a 95-91 lead, junior Alvin Cruz (Rio Pedras, Puerto Rico) sank a three-point field goal with 20 seconds left in regulation. After Canisius’ Toby Foster made one of two foul shots, Mendez scored with 8.7 seconds remaining to make it 96-96 and force overtime.
Canisius built a five-point lead in overtime when Kevin Downey hit a three-pointer and sank a pair of free throws to put the Golden Griffins up, 103-98. Niagara responded by scoring seven of the next 10 points on a Mendez layup, dunk and free throw to tie the game at 105 all. The Purple Eagles took the lead for good when senior Tremmell Darden (Las Vegas) sank a pair at the charity stripe, blocked a shot, and grabbed a defensive rebound. Freshman Lorenzo Miles (Washington, D.C.) sank the final two free throws in the win.
Canisius opened a 47-36 lead after the first half, riding 50 percent (18 of 36) shooting while Niagara shot 34.1 percent (14 of 41).
In the second half, the Golden Griffins opened a 17-point lead, 70-53, on a basket by Yaku Moton-Spruill with 12:01 to play, but Niagara started its comeback with a three-point basket by junior David Brooks (Philadelphia, Pa.). Senior James Reaves (Rochester) scored with 7:03 to play as part of a 21-9 run to bring it within five, 79-74.
Canisius pulled it back to 10 points, 84-74, on a three-pointer by Foster before Brooks hit back-to-back three-pointers to tie the game 86-86 at 3:36. Brooks finished with 19 points, highlighted by five three-point field goals.
Darden scored 19 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. Cruz had a career-best 12 assists.
The 109 points by the Purple Eagles are the most scored by the team since a 119-108 victory over Marist on Jan. 18, 1999.
