Senior Colleen Toetz scored a game-high 22 points in Niagara's win over Canisius Wednesday night.

BUFFALO - In the battle for first place in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, Niagara’s Colleen Toetz (Parma, Ohio) scored a game-high 22 points and hit a running jump shot with 36.7 seconds as the Purple Eagles (15-7, 9-4) downed Canisius (13-9, 8-5), 73-70, Wednesday night at the Koessler Athletic Center.

The win gives Niagara a 9-4 mark in MAAC play and marks the third consecutive win over the Golden Griffins.

Toetz’s running shot, which gave Niagara a 70-68 lead, was part of the Purple Eagles’ 29-12 run to end the game. Niagara found itself on the short end of a 58-44 score when Canisius’ Becky Zak scored with 12:18 remaining. The Purple Eagles scored the game’s next six points, five by Toetz, to make it 58-50 with 11:02 to play.

After Canisius’ Lillie Brown scored on a layup to make it 60-50, Niagara used an 8-0 run, fueled by Eva Cunningham’s (East Aurora/Iroquois) six points. Canisius took a 63-60 lead before Sarah Heben (Lakewood, Ohio) scored her first basket to bring the Purple Eagles within one, 63-62. Ann Mimm (Girard, Pa.) blocked a shot on the defensive end of the floor before making a three-point field goal for a 65-63 lead with 4:48 remaining. Heben blocked the next Canisius shot, setting up a Cunningham basket for a 67-63 advantage.

Jenel Stevens gave Canisius a 68-67 lead with 2:35 to play before Heben made one of two foul shots to tie the score. Canisius turned the ball over, Toetz gathered an offensive rebound and drove to score the go-ahead basket.

Toetz, who earned MAAC Co-Player of the Week on Monday, scored a game-high 22 points. The performance was her 10th outing of 20 or more points. Mimm and Cunningham each finished with 19 points.

Mimm, who scored 11 points in the first half, attempted to keep Niagara close in the first 20 minutes. Canisius shot 48.4 percent (15 of 31) in the first half to take a 45-33 lead. Stevens and Brown each had nine points in the first period to lead the Golden Griffins. Stevens and Brown each finished with 15 points for Canisius.

Niagara returns to action Saturday when it travels to New Rochelle, N.Y., to take on Iona at 2 p.m. in the Mulcahy Center.