CLEVELAND – Junior Michelle Manfredi (Jefferson Hills, Pa.) sank a jumper with 21 seconds left in overtime to help the Niagara University women’s basketball team (2-0) beat Cleveland State (0-2), 84-83, at the Wolstein Center Sunday afternoon in non-conference play.

Trailing 81-79 with 2:06 left, senior Chantelle Wilson (Burlington, Ont.) sank her fifth three-pointer of the game to put Niagara up 82-81. Cleveland State’s Jessica Roque scored to regain the lead, 83-82. Manfredi then missed a jumper, got the offensive rebound and scored the game winner. The Vikings’ Dominique Butler tried to tie the game again when she drove to the basket and her shot bounced around and off the rim with three seconds left.

"A lot of people contributed to this win. It was definitely a team win," Niagara head coach Bill Agronin said. "I’m proud of how our team handled the adversity late in the game and then stepped up to win in overtime."

Manfredi finished with a double-double with 12 points and a career-tying 11 rebounds. Freshman Jennifer McNamee (Oxford, Ohio) had game highs of 21 points and six assists off the bench. Wilson tied her career high with 19 points on 7 of 14 shooting from the field and 5 of 12 from beyond the three-point arc. Senior Shaunna Ambrose (McKees Rock, Pa.) had 12 points.

Manfredi forced overtime when she scored with 29 seconds left in regulation. The basket was Niagara’s first after it was held scoreless for the previous 5:03. Cleveland State took a 74-72 lead with 1:35 left after going on a 13-0 run after trailing 72-63. Brittany Korth had six points and Natalie Miller four during the run.

The last time the Purple Eagles opened the season 2-0 was 1994-95, winning twice at the Navy Tournament over Davidson and Navy. Niagara last won in overtime on Jan. 14, 2005, and the last time the Purple Eagles scored 84-or-more points was when they had 99 in a win over Colgate, Dec. 28, 2004.

In the first half, Niagara used an 11-0 run to take a 22-11 lead. The Purple Eagles increased their lead to 30-17 when McNamee hit a three-pointer with 7:05 left. Cleveland State got as close as eight points, 39-31, when it strung together an 8-2 run, but the Purple Eagles closed the half with another McNamee three-pointer. McNamee had 13 first-half points.

Niagara returns to action Tuesday when it hosts St. Bonaventure at 7 p.m. in the Gallagher Center.