Senior Alvin Cruz hit the game-winning basket vs. Manhattan Saturday.

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Niagara senior guard Alvin Cruz (Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico) drove the lane and sank a layup with two-tenths of a second remaining to give the Purple Eagles a 75-73 overtime win over Manhattan in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action Saturday afternoon at the Gallagher Center. The Niagara victory gives the Purple Eagles their first win over their MAAC rival in eight games and extends their home win streak to 12.

Cruz, who finished with 15 points and five assists, scored seven points in the extra session. Cruz sank a three-point field goal and added a short shot in the lane as Niagara opened a 71-69 lead in overtime. After Manhattan took a 73-71 lead after back-to-back baskets by Peter Mulligan and Arturo Dubois, senior David Brooks (Philadelphia) scored on a layup to tie the score. After Dubois missed inside, Niagara’s Juan Mendez (Montreal) snared the rebound and the Purple Eagles took a timeout. With time winding down, Cruz drove the lane and scored the winning basket.

Mendez led all scorers with 19 points and 11 rebounds. The double-double was his seventh consecutive and 10th overall of the season and 36th of his career. Sophomore forward J.R. Duffey (Fort Worth, Texas) scored a career-high tying 16 points.

Niagara, which had a 30-27 halftime lead, built a 10-point, 54-44 lead with 8:47 remaining in regulation after junior James Mathis (Newark, N.J.) sank one of two free throws. Manhattan crept within two points, 66-64 on a layup by Jeff Xavier with 29 seconds remaining. The teams traded possessions before Mendez missed two free throws to give Manhattan an opportunity to win or tie. Jason Wingate scored with 2.7 seconds left to tie the game and send it into overtime.

Niagara improves to 11-6 overall and 6-3 in league play while Manhattan is now 9-7 and 4-4.

The Purple Eagles will travel to Albany to face Siena Thursday at 7 p.m.