NEW BRITIAN, Conn. – Four players scored in double figures to lead the Niagara University men’s basketball team (7-2) to a 79-74 non-conference victory over Central Connecticut State (2-3) on New Year’s Eve in Detrick Gymnasium.

In a game that was suspended Dec. 30 with 2:58 remaining in the first half and was resumed today, junior Juan Mendez (Montreal, Quebec) led all scorers with 22 points. It was the forward’s sixth 20-plus point game of the season and fifth straight. Senior James Reaves (Rochester, N.Y.) recorded his third double-double of the year and 21st of his career with 16 points and game-high 11 rebounds. Also in double figures were senior Tremmell Darden (Las Vegas, Nev.) and junior David Brooks (Philadelphia, Pa.), who each had 11 points.

"They are one of the toughest bunch of guys we will play all year," Niagara head coach Joe Mihalich said. "A game like this sharpens our teeth for conference play because we will see some good teams in our league. And to play good teams outside our conference gets you ready for your conference play."

Niagara, which had a 40-33 lead before power was lost Tuesday evening in Detrick Gym and the New Britain area, carried a 43-36 lead into halftime. The Purple Eagles saw that seven-point lead disappear when the Blue Devils put together an 8-2 run over the first 3:55 to tie the game at 44. A basket by Reaves and a pair of free throws by Brooks pushed the lead back to five points, 49-44. The game would be tied six more times during the next 8:16 span, the last when Reaves scored to tie the game at 64 with 7:50 remaining in the contest.

Central Connecticut took its first lead since 13:43 of the first half on a DeMario Anderson three-pointer at 7:28. Niagara then ran off six-straight points to lead 70-67 on a basket from Mendez, a steal and layup by junior Alvin Cruz (Rio Pedras, Puerto Rico) and a bucket by Mendez.

CCSU’s Rob Robinson made it a one-point game at 5:29, but Mendez sank a pair of free throws and hit his second three-pointer of the game to give the Purple Eagles a six-point lead 75-69 with 4:26 left.

Blue Devil Justin Chiera responded with a three-pointer of his own and Robinson added two more free throws to make it a one-point game, 75-74, with :57 remaining.

On Niagara’s next possession, the Purple Eagles called a timeout with four seconds left on the shot clock. On the ensuing in-bounds play, Cruz in bounded the ball to Reaves who hit Darden with a back-door pass and Darden finished the play with a dunk with 23.6 left on the clock.

CCSU missed a jumper on the other end and Reaves was fouled on the rebound. He sank two from the free-throw line to seal the win.

Niagara out-rebounded Central Connecticut, 35-31, had six blocks and nine steals. Reaves had three blocks and three steals and Darden added a career-high seven assists and three blocks.

Sophomore James Mathis (Newark, N.J.) came off the bench to score a career-high eight points and grabbed a season-high four rebounds in the first half.

The Purple Eagles return to action Saturday when they play St. John’s at 7 p.m. in the Dreyfus Big Saturday at Madison Square Garden.