Senior Juan Mendez posted his 30th career double-double Thursday in a win over Fairfield.

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Niagara University senior forward Juan Mendez (Montreal) scored 34 points and snared a career-high tying 16 rebounds to lead the Purple Eagles to an 86-74 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference victory over Fairfield Thursday night at the Gallagher Center. The Purple Eagles improve to 7-4 overall and 2-1 in league play.

The double-double was the 30th of Mendez’s career and moved him into second place among Canadian-born NCAA Division I players with 1,790 career points. He trails Michael Meeks (Canisius) by 37 points.

Mendez, who also sank a career-best four three-point field goals, scored 20 of his points in the first half as the Purple Eagles rolled to a 43-33 halftime lead. A Mendez dunk gave Niagara a 10-point lead, 24-14, with 11:40 to play in the first 20 minutes. After Fairfield went on a 15-4 rally, the Purple Eagles responded with a 15-4 run of their own to close the half.

Senior David Brooks (Philadelphia) scored eight of Niagara’s first 15 second-half points. Brooks became the 35th Purple Eagle to top the 1,000-point mark in a career when he sank two free throws with 14:01 to play for a 58-45 lead. Following four-straight points by Fairfield, Niagara went on a 9-2 run, capped by a Charron Fisher (Pennsauken, N.J.) basket. Fisher, a freshman, scored 11 points in a reserve role.

Fairfield came within six points, 76-70, with 3:30 to play after a fast-break basket by DeWitt Maxwell. The Purple Eagles answered with three free throws and a Mendez three-pointer to take a 10-point lead, 82-72, with 1:52 remaining.

Senior guard Alvin Cruz (Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico), who was honored in a pre-game ceremony as the Purple Eagles’ all-time assist leader, recorded 11 assists on the night to go with 16 points.

Fairfield’s Deng Gai scored a career-high 28 points to go with 11 rebounds to lead the Stags (5-5, 2-1).

Niagara will play Saint Peter’s at 7 p.m. Jan. 6 at the Gallagher Center.