Junior James Mathis

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Four players scored in double digits but it wasn’t enough as the Niagara University men’s basketball team (9-6, 4-3) lost 88-87 to Marist College (8-7, 5-1) Saturday night in the McCann Center.

Senior David Brooks (Philadelphia, Pa.) scored a team-high 23 points. Classmate Juan Mendez (Montreal, Que.) registered his 34th career double-double and seventh of the season with 21 points and team-high 11 rebounds. Senior Alvin Cruz (Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico) and junior James Mathis (Newark, N.J.) each had 13 points. Cruz was 4 of 5 from three-point range and Mathis had nine rebounds, including seven offensive.

Niagara had a 12-point lead at halftime, 52-40, but saw that erased when Marist opened the second half with a 12-0 run and tied the game at 52 with 16:46 left. The Purple Eagles rebounded by going on a 10-4 run fueled by a pair of Brooks’ three-pointers to take a six-point lead.

Niagara held a seven-point lead, 76-69, when Mathis sank a pair of free throws with 6:52 remaining. The Red Foxes then went on an 8-0 run capped by a traditional three-point play by Will McClurkin to take a one-point lead, 77-76.

Marist extended its lead with a 7-2 run, but the Purple Eagles got a three-point play from Mendez to make it 84-82 with 1:08 remaining.

The Red Foxes Will Willington then sank both free throws with 21.0 left. Sophomore J.R. Duffey (Fort Worth, Texas) made a pair of free throws with 8.0 remaining, but Willington was fouled on the next play and proceeded to score two more points from the foul line. Cruz sank a three-pointer at the buzzer for the final score.

Niagara shot 37.5 percent for the game, including 28.1 percent in the second half. Marist shot 53.6 percent from the floor but were out-rebounded 52-33.

The Purple Eagles return to action Thursday when they host Rider College at 7 p.m. in the Gallagher Center.