Senior David Brooks led Niagara with a team-high 23 points at Saint Peter's Thursday.

JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Seniors David Brooks and Juan Mendez each scored over 20 point to help the Niagara University men’s basketball team (18-8, 13-4) defeat Saint Peter’s College (14-12, 9-8), 90-85, Thursday at the Yanitelli Center in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game.

With the win, Niagara secures the No. 1 seed in the 23rd annual MAAC Basketball Tournament March 4-7 at HSBC Arena in Buffalo. The Purple Eagles also claim at least a share of the conference regular-season title. A win over Rider on Saturday would earn Niagara the regular-season title outright.

Brooks (Philadelphia, Pa.) led the Purple Eagles with a team-high 23 points. Mendez recorded his 17th double-double of the year and 44th of his career with 21 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. The forward is now just two boards shy of 1,000. Senior Alvin Cruz (Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico) and sophomore Lorezno Miles (Washington, D.C.) had 16 and 12 points, respectively.

Niagara used an 18-7 run to open the second half and take a 12-point lead, 59-47. Brooks netted eight of his 14 second-half points during the span, including a pair of three-pointers.

Saint Peter’s gained the lead, 68-67, with a 20-9 run capped by a Ron Yates layup with 7:22 left. Miles put Niagara back on top with a three-pointer from the corner, but the Peacocks took the lead 78-77 on a Keydren Clark trey with 3:35 remaining.

Mendez had a pair of free throws and a dunk to give Niagara the lead for good. The Purple Eagles then connected on nine of their last 10 free throws for the win.

In the first half, Niagara trailed early, but a 24-6 run over a nine-minute span put it up 33-26 with 3:47 left to play. Brooks scored six of his nine first-half points during the run and Mendez added five.

Saint Peter’s responded with a 12-8 run but Cruz gave the Purple Eagles a one-point lead, 41-40, at halftime with a half-court three-pointer at the buzzer.

Niagara shot 52.2 percent from the field and 75 percent from the foul line in the second half. The Purple Eagle defense also held the Peacocks to 6-of-29 shooting from three-point range.

Niagara plays its final regular-season game when it travels to Lawrenceville, N.J., to take on Rider University at 2 p.m. in Alumni Gym. The game can be seen on MSG and ESPN Fullcourt.