Sophomore Charron Fisher scored a career-high 27 points in a win over Appalachian State Friday.

PITTSBURGH – Sophomore Charron Fisher (Pennsauken, N.J.) scored a career-high 27 points to help the Niagara University men’s basketball team (3-6) to a 79-70 victory over Appalachian State (4-7) Friday evening in the semifinals of Duquesne Holiday Tournament in the A.J. Palumbo Center. The Purple Eagles play Troy at 2:30 p.m. in the championship game.

Fisher scored 20 points in the second half and was 10 for 20 from the field for the game. The 6-foot-3 guard also grabbed nine rebounds and dished four assists as Niagara broke a six-game losing streak.

Also in double digits for the Purple Eagles were juniors Clif Brown (Ferndale, Mich.) and Lorenzo Miles (Washington, D.C.). Brown tallied a season-high 17 points, shooting 7 of 14 from the field, including a career-best three three-pointers. The 6-7 forward also had nine rebounds and two assists. Miles tallied 12 points, six rebounds and dished out a team-high four assists. Junior Barry Durosier (Orlando, Fla.) registered a season-best nine points, five rebounds and three assists.

Niagara used a 25-12 run in the second half to secure its first win since Nov. 21. Fisher scored 14 of his 20 second-half points during the run, including all nine straight that put the Purple Eagles up 61-47 with 10:47 left.

Down by as many as 17 with 8:05 left, Appalachian State could not get the deficit any closer than nine late in the second half.

Midway through the first half, the Mountaineers jumped out to a 20-13 lead after going on an 18-6 run fueled by four three-pointers. Niagara answered by scoring 10 consecutive points late in the half and led 40-31 at halftime.

Troy advanced to the championship game with a 78-72 win over Duquesne. The championship game will be a rematch of the 2004 National Invitation Tournament game between Niagara and Troy. The Purple Eagles won 87-83 at the University of Buffalo’s Alumni Arena.