Senior Juan Mendez was named MAAC Tournament MVP after leading Niagara to the NCAA Tournament.

BUFFALO - A 16-2 first-half run carried the Niagara University men’s basketball team to an 81-59 victory over Rider in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship game Monday night at HSBC Arena. The win propels the Purple Eagles to their second-ever berth in the NCAA Tournament. The first berth came in 1970.

Leading the way for Niagara (20-9) was senior Juan Mendez (Montreal) with 27 points and 13 rebounds. Mendez, who scored 18 of his points in the first half, recorded his 20th double-double of the season and 17th in Niagara’s last 19 game.

Sophomore Lorenzo Miles (Washington, D.C.) added 16 points while senior David Brooks (Philadelphia) had a career-high tying nine assists to go with 12 points. Senior Alvin Cruz (Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico) had 14 points and six assists.

Brooks and Cruz were both names to the all-MAAC Tournament team while Mendez was named the tournament’s most valuable player.

After a back-and-forth first 10 minutes, Niagara used the 16-2 run to open a 33-23 lead after a Mendez basket at 4:43. The Purple Eagles had six different players score during the run. Niagara, which only made one of its first 10 three-point field goals in the semifinals, sank five of its first 12 attempts from beyond the arc. Rider rallied to within five points, 35-30, but the Purple Eagles closed the half with seven points, including a three-pointer by Mendez before the hafltime buzzer.

Rider opened the second half with five-straight points before Niagara ran off eight consecutive points. The Purple Eagles’ lead reached 20 points, 57-37, on a basket by sophomore J.R. Duffey (Fort Worth, Texas) with 14:03 left. Niagara’s lead reached 27, 79-52, after a Brooks’ fast-break basket.

Niagara awaits word on its upcoming opponent in the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA selection show takes place Sunday at 6 p.m.