Senior Eva Cunningham had a game-high 22 points Sunday at Rider.

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. – Senior Eva Cunningham (East Aurora, N.Y./Iroquois) scored a game-high 22 points to help lead the Niagara University women’s basketball team to a 72-42 victory at Rider University Sunday afternoon in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game in Alumni Gym.

With the victory, Niagara improves to 14-9 overall and 9-5 in the MAAC. Rider slips to 7-16 and 5-9. The Purple Eagles are in third place in the conference behind Marist and Canisius.

The point guard was 9 of 19 from the field and 4 of 9 from three-point range. Sophomore Shaunna Ambrose (McKees Rock, Pa.) netted 17 points, grabbed nine rebounds and dished out three assists. Junior Danie Mosca (Baltimore, Md.) scored five points and grabbed a career-high six rebounds. Freshman Michelle Manfredi (Jefferson Hills, Pa.) added nine points and a game-high five assists.

After leading at halftime, 31-16, Niagara built a 30-point lead by the 6:35 mark with a 20-4 run. Cunningham and Ambrose each netted seven points during the run

In the first half, Niagara held Rider scoreless for the first nine minutes of the game. The Purple Eagles built a 14-0 lead on the shoulders of Ambrose who scored 10. Rider got as close as 13 points, 19-6, but Niagara went on a 10-1 run to extend its lead to 22 points, 29-7.

The Purple Eagles shot 45.8 percent from the field, 45 percent from three-point range and 75 percent from the foul line. They out-rebounded Rider, 43-26, and 12 players for Niagara saw four-or-more minutes of action.

Niagara continues its brutal road swing when it plays at Marist Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. The contest is the fifth game in a six-game road stretch for the Purple Eagles.