SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Sophomore Erika Harris (Gahanna, Ohio) came off the bench to score a season-high 14 points and help the Niagara University women’s basketball team (5-1) beat Syracuse University (1-4), 59-54, Sunday at the Carrier Dome.

Harris scored 12 of her points in the second half, and also finished with a career-high eight rebounds, five assists and three steals. Freshman Jen McNamee (Oxford, Ohio) also came off the bench to collect 12 points and four assists and junior Sarah Wilson (St. Catharines, Ont.) had nine points and a team-high 11 rebounds.

"It was a battle the whole way. We started to hit shots in the middle of the second half and that gave us some confidence," Niagara head coach Bill Agronin said. "Erika Harris played well, and Sarah Wilson hitting those shots and then Shaunna’s, propelled us to the win.

Niagara trailed in the game until the 10:03 mark of the second half when Wilson hit back-to-back three-pointers and senior Shauanna Ambrose (McKees Rock, Pa.) added another to give the Purple Eagles a 51-48 lead with 7:50 remaining.

Syracuse then went on a 6-2 run, capped by Nicole Michael’s jumper at 5:57, but it would be the last basket in the game for the Orange.

"What kept us in the game when we weren’t making shots was our defense," Agronin said. "We played pretty good defense and that has been our strength to this point this year."

Niagara got a jumper from junior Michelle Manfredi (Jefferson Hills, Pa.) at 5:11 to regain the lead, 55-54. McNamee then sank one of two free throws and added a jumper to make it 58-54 with 3:57 remaining. Harris hit the front end of a one-and-one free throw to complete the Purple Eagles’ scoring.

The first half was one of runs as Syracuse took a 12-5 lead to start the game. Niagara responded with an 8-1 run to tie the game at 13 with 12:19 left. The Orange took a 25-16 lead with a 12-3 run, but the Purple Eagles got a three-pointer from Chantelle Wilson (Burlington, Ont.) and baskets from Manfredi and Ambrose to trail 30-23 at halftime.

Niagara meets its second consecutive Big East foe when it hosts St. John’s Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the legendary Taps Gallagher Center.