Senior Juan Mendez posted his 32nd career 20-plus point game Tuesday.

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Four players in double digits in scoring wasn’t enough to earn the Niagara University men’s basketball team its first victory of the season as the Purple Eagles (0-1) lost to Providence College (1-0), 83-78, Tuesday in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, R.I.

Senior Juan Mendez (Montreal, Que.) netted a team-high 22 points and added seven rebounds. Classmate David Brooks (Philadelphia, Penn.) had 20 points and a team-leading four steals. In his first collegiate start, sophomore J.R. Duffey (Ft. Worth, Texas) had 12 points and a career-high six rebounds. Junior James Mathis (Newark, N.J.) came off the bench for career-highs with 12 points and six rebounds.

Trailing 51-50 early in the second half, Niagara put together a 14-4 run to take a nine-point lead, 64-55. Brooks had seven points, and Mendez and Mathis four points to fuel the run. The Purple Eagles extended their lead to 13 points, 74-61, on the shoulders of Brooks, Mendez, Mathis and Duffey with 8:15 to play.

The Friars then went on a 13-2 run capped by Tuukka Kotti’s layup with 2:55 remaining to make it 76-74.

The teams traded free throws and Kotti sank one of two from the foul line before Niagara committed three consecutive turnovers. Providence took advantage when Ryan Gomes converted a jump shot.

Gomes finished with a game-high 25 points and 19 rebounds. Dwight Brewington had 19 points.

The Purple Eagles open their home schedule Saturday when they host American at 7 p.m. in the Gallagher Center on the Monteagle Ridge campus.