Senior Alvin Cruz was one of six Purple Eagles to score in double figures Thursday.

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Riding a 20-11 second-half run, the Niagara University men’s basketball team recorded a 102-97 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference victory over Rider Thursday night at the Gallagher Center. The Purple Eagles, now 10-6 overall and 5-3 in league play, had six players score in double figures and recorded only four turnovers.

Leading the way for Niagara was senior forward Juan Mendez (Montreal) with 31 points and 11 rebounds. The double-double was the sixth consecutive for Mendez and ninth overall this season. Also picking up a double-double was senior guard Alvin Cruz (Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico) as he netted 14 points and 11 assists. Senior guard David Brooks (Philadelphia, Pa.) tallied 18 points to go with a career-best nine assists. Junior forward James Mathis (Newark, N.J.) scored 13 points in a reserve role while sophomore starters Lorenzo Miles (Washington, D.C.) and J.R. Duffey (Fort Worth, Texas) had 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Niagara trailed 68-61 with 13:30 remaining before using a 10-2 run to take a 71-70 lead on a Cruz three-point play with 10:49 left. The teams traded points before Rider’s Jason Thompson sank two foul shots for an 80-79 lead with 5:35 remaining. That lead would be Rider’s last of the game. Mendez, who scored 17 of his points in the second half, scored inside for an 81-80 lead on Niagara’s next possession and the Purple Eagles were off to the races, eventually taking a 99-91 lead after two Cruz free throws with 33 seconds left. Mendez made one free throw before Mathis scored Niagara’s final points for the 102-97 victory.

Rider falls to 9-7 overall and 5-2 in the MAAC. Niagara will play Manhattan Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Gallagher Center. The game will be televised by MAAC TV.