NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Despite a career-high 21 rebounds by senior forward Clif Brown (Ferndale, Mich.), the Niagara University men’s basketball team suffered a 74-66 season-opening loss to Binghamton University (1-1) Thursday night in non-conference action in front of 1,624 fans at the Gallagher Center.

Brown’s 21 rebounds were the most by a Purple Eagle since Kevin Jobity snared 22 against the University at Buffalo, Nov. 30, 1996. Brown also recorded 19 points to lead Niagara.

The Purple Eagles suffered from cold shooting, making just 5 of 34 three-point field goal attempts and 21 of 64 field-goal attempts. After a Brown three-pointer with 9:06 to play brought Niagara within one, 54-53, the Purple Eagles did not make a field-goal attempt until freshman Andrew Patterson’s (Hartford, Conn.) with 37 seconds remaining.

During that stretch, Binghamton pushed its lead to 13 points, 71-58, on a Troy Hailey foul shot. Niagara cut the lead to six, 72-66, when senior Greg Noel (Montreal, Que.) sank a layup with 14 seconds remaining but Binghamton’s Richard Forbes sank two free throws for the final margin.

Forbes had a career-high 24 points and nine rebounds in a reserve role for Binghamton. Mike Gordon added 15 points while Hailey and Duane James scored 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Senior guard Lorenzo Miles (Washington, D.C.) added 14 points for the Purple Eagles while freshman guard Tyrone Lewis (Levittown, Pa.) scored 12 points in his collegiate debut.

Niagara returns to action with a non-conference game against Valparaiso at 7 p.m. Saturday in the Gallagher Center.