Senior Sarah Heben recorded her third double-double of the season Sunday in a win over Rider.

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – With all five starters and one reserve scoring in double figures, the Niagara University women’s basketball team cruised to an 86-69 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference victory over Rider Sunday at the Gallagher Center.

Junior Eva Cunningham (East Aurora/Iroquois) led the Purple Eagles (18-8, 12-5 MAAC) with 16 points and seven assists. The seven assists pushed Cunningham’s career total to 380 — passing Katie Murphy for third place on the Niagara all-time charts.

Senior Sarah Heben (Lakewood, Ohio) recorded her third double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds to go with two blocked shots.

Seniors Colleen Toetz (Parma, Ohio) and Ann Mimm (Girard, Ohio) added 15 and 13 points, respectively while classmate Jessica Kemp (Niagara Falls, Ont.) scored 10 points. Freshman Jessi Tomasin (Hamilton, Ont.) came in off the bench to provide 10 points, including two three-point field goals. Kemp and Mimm each added eight rebounds.

Rider took a 13-11 with 13:12 to play in the first half before the Purple Eagles went on a 23-4 run. Fueling that run were five points each from Mimm and Tomasin as six different players scored in that stretch. The Purple Eagles made six three-point field goals in the first half to build a 47-28 edge.

A layup by Cunningham capped Niagara’s 17-7 run to open the second half for a 64-35 lead. While Niagara committed 10 second-half turnovers, Rider (4-21, 2-14 MAAC) closed within 15 points, 84-69. Katie Hall led Rider with a game-high 27 points.

Niagara closes the regular season against Canisius Feb. 29 at 3 p.m. at the Gallagher Center.