Senior Tremmell Darden |
BUFFALO – Niagara University senior Tremmell Darden does not want his collegiate career to end. Darden scored a game-high 26 points, 15 in the second half, as the Purple Eagles rallied to defeat Troy State 87-83 in Wednesday night’s National Invitation Tournament game at Alumni Arena on the University at Buffalo campus.
The NIT win was Niagara’s first in NIT action since 1987 when the Purple Eagles downed Seton Hall, 74-65, at Alumni Arena. The Purple Eagles will play at Nebraska Friday at 8 p.m.
With Troy State holding a 74-66 lead, Darden scored five of Niagara’s next eight points to cut the lead to two points, 76-74. Darden later sank three free throws after being fouled on a three-point field goal attempt and added a short jump shot in the lane with 2:15 left to give Niagara an 80-79 lead.
Troy State’s Greg Davis, who led the Trojans with 18 points, sank a shot to give them an 81-80 lead before junior Alvin Cruz (Rio Pedras, Puerto Rico) sank a three-point field goal to put Niagara up, 83-81. After a Troy State turnover, Cruz sank a short shot in the lane to give the Purple Eagles a four-point edge, 85-81. Davis sank two foul shots to make it 85-83 before Darden made two free throws of his own for the final margin with 16.3 seconds left. Troy State missed four shots before the final horn sounded.
Darden (Las Vegas) added six rebounds and a team-high four assists while he recorded his 12th game with 20 or more points. Junior Juan Mendez (Montreal, Quebec) scored 20 points, 18 in the first half, to go with 16 rebounds. The double-double was his 12th of the season while the 16 rebounds tied his career high. Mendez, who recorded his 17th game with 20 or more points, also tied his career high with five blocked shots.
Sophomore James Mathis (Newark, N.J.) tied his career high with eight points in a reserve role. Senior James Reaves (Rochester/Edison) added 12 points.
Troy State opened the game by making 11 of its first 14 field goals as the Trojans rolled to a 29-12 lead. Niagara responded with a 19-7 run to cut the lead to 34-31 with 5:30 left in the half. Mathis scored six of his points during that run. The Purple Eagles then tied the game at 41 with 59 seconds left in the half with a three-point field goal before Troy State took a 43-41 lead into the locker room.
