Senior David Brooks netted a team-high 23 points Sunday afternoon. |
BUFFALO - Senior David Brooks (Philadelphia) scored a team-high 23 points to lead Niagara University past Iona College 69-66 in Sunday’s Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference men’s basketball semifinals at HSBC Arena.
Niagara improved to 19-9 with the win and will face Rider, which defeated Fairfield 76-74, in Monday’s 9 p.m. championship game. The game will be televised live on ESPN2.
Brooks sank two foul shots with 1.5 seconds left to give the Purple Eagles a 69-66 lead after he picked up a loose ball and was fouled intentionally. Senior Juan Mendez (Montreal) switched on a high screen to force an Iona turnover and Brooks recovered the loose ball before being fouled on a drive to the basket.
Mendez finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds for his 19th double-double this season. Mendez and Brooks each scored 12 first-half points as the two teams battled to a 36-36 tie at the break.
The teams traded runs to open the second as Niagara used an 8-2 run to take a 50-43 lead with 15:33 left to play. Iona rallied to take a 56-54 lead behind 10 points by Steve Burtt. Burtt finished with a game-high 28 points. Niagara responded with an 11-0 run to give the Purple Eagles took a 65-56 lead with 5:31 remaining. Five different Purple Eagles scored in the run, which was capped on a Mendez dunk.
Iona fought back to come within one point, 67-66, after two foul shots by Ricky Soliver. Niagara committed a turnover on its next possession and the defense forced Burtt to commit a turnover, allowing Brooks to pick up the loose ball to set up the clinching foul shots.
Iona (15-16) opened the game with an 11-2 run. Niagara took its first lead after a Mendez dunk gave the Purple Eagles a 17-16 edge with 9:20 to play in the first half. Niagara eventually took a 31-24 lead after a Brooks’ basket with 3:50 remaining in the half but Iona closed the half with a 12-5 run to force the 36-36 tie at halftime.
Niagara, behind Mendez’s 13 rebounds, had a 40-33 rebounding edge and recorded 18 of those boards on the offensive end. Brooks added nine rebounds and five assists to his 23 points while classmate Alvin Cruz (Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico) recorded a game-high seven assists.
